


Bump In The Night

by lil_1337



Series: Who's Johnny [4]
Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: F/M, Horror, M/M, Supernatural - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-11-01
Updated: 2011-11-01
Packaged: 2017-11-07 01:07:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 27,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/425249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lil_1337/pseuds/lil_1337
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Who you gonna call?  The Winner Foundation Paranormal Investigations team of course.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Big thanks to [](http://ferretgirl-1124.livejournal.com/profile)[**ferretgirl_1124**](http://ferretgirl-1124.livejournal.com/) for fact checking and for letting me bounce ideas off of her.

A/N: As with the original fic this chapter is research notes and a prologue. While the notes can be skipped if you so choose, the prologue is an important part of the fic itself. The initial section on means and methods will be helpful in understanding the processes employed by the investigation team while the other sections are purely informational tangents. Some of the information is repeated from ‘Who’s Johnny’ and other is new as it relates to this specific fic.

All the websites listed below are free sites and may or may not have pop ups associated with them. Please make sure you have your ad blocker and antivirus set to stun before surfing to any of them.

Means and methods:

For the purposes of this series, Quatre's empathy has been mutated slightly. He is able to sense the emotions of a place instead of those of a person as well as sense or interact with entities that exist on other planes. In other words he feels dead people. There are different types of sensitives; those who see people, those who see a room as it was previously like an overlay, and those who hear voices, to name a few of the more common variations. The ability to sense residual emotions and energies can be part of other abilities, or one that stands alone as is the case with Quatre.

The methodology used in this fic should in no way be considered a blueprint for an actual investigation. Historical information on a site is collected after the investigation, so as not to taint what is seen or felt, or set expectations. Additionally, sensitives are chosen at random for a particular assignment, blindfolded and taken an indirect way to the site so they are not aware of the actual location. Unfortunately the local group I based Winner Foundation Paranormal Investigations on is no longer in business and their website has been taken down. They were a great group, ran an amazing tour, and apparently were damn good at breeding plot bunnies as well.

My research on paranormal investigations was from the following websites: <http://www.ghost-investigators.com/> and <http://www.paranormalghost.com/> . Anything that is incorrect or misleading is purely my fault.

An explanation of what a cold spot is and how they work can be found here: <http://www.assap.org/newsite/htmlfiles/Cold%20spots.html>

EMF meter or Electromagnetic Field Radiation Tester registers the amount of background radiation at any given time and is carried as a handheld during an investigation. It is considered standard equipment for any paranormal investigator. A picture of it can be seen here: <http://www.ghost-investigators.com/equipment/equipment.php?equip_num=54>

Places:

"El Tiradito" or The Wishing Shrine is an actual place as is the legend connected with it. You can find out more about it here: <http://elindenews.com/features/12-features/207-el-tiradito-shrine-an-ode-to-local-hispanic-folklore>. All of the stories related about El Tiradito in ‘Bump In The Night’ are ones that I have heard at one time or another and belong to the local folklore not my over active imagination. Wufei’s reaction to the shrine on his first visit is a reflection of the first and only time I was there. I had no idea about the more unpleasant parts of the shrine’s history at that time.

While Tucson Inn does not exist is based on Hotel Arizona which is a real operating hotel in downtown Tucson. <http://www.thehotelarizona.com/> I have never been in the ballroom and interestingly enough I can't find any pictures of it online so the interior and design is a combination of my own ideas as well as the few details I remember being discussed.

The story that was told about presence in the hotel was one of the legends shared with the group on the last ghost tour I took. Several people reported feeling like they were being watched and or seeing black spots before the guide told us about the history of the place. There were several theories thrown around about the creature and its connection to the wishing shrine as well as other black spots observed by the group that conducted the tour. I have borrowed liberally from those theories as well as putting some ideas of my own.

The rattlesnake bridge: <http://joeorman.shutterace.com/Bizarre/Bizarre_Rattlesnake.html>

Tucson International Airport is an experience in and of itself. It is really fairly small for a city the size of Tucson, but a good portion of people fly in and out of Phoenix as it is considerably cheaper. They have an official website, but sadly it is lacking in pretty much every way possible. So, I offer you the Wikipedia page instead as it has pictures and will give you at least some idea what the place is like. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tucson_International_Airport>

The place that Duo and Heero meet Mark for lunch is called Chocolate Iguana. It is a small café on 4th Avenue in the middle of the arts district and shares the intersection with a Dairy Queen, an Italian restaurant, and a pub. This is the area to go if you are looking for vintage clothes, homemade jewelry, and bored Uof A students in their native environment. More information can be found here: <http://www.chocolateiguanaon4th.com/index.htm>

Arizona State Hospital known locally as ASH is a state run mental health facility. It primarily serves a population of patients that require long term care and do not have the funds to pay for private hospitalization. It is located at 24th Street and Van Buren in Phoenix and in local slang is referred to more by the address than its actual name. More information can be found here: <http://www.azdhs.gov/azsh/>

Winter Haven is a neighborhood in central Tucson not far from the university that decorates for the month of December. You can walk, drive or take a carriage through. Going to see the lights is pretty much a holiday staple for the residents of the city. For more information and a few pictures can be found here: <http://www.winterhavenfestival.org/index.html>. Information on the tour and pictures of the wagon the characters rode in can be found here: <http://www.holiday-hayrides.com/>.

People:

The John Dillinger exhibit being shown at the Arizona Historical Society is real, Information about it can be found here: <http://www.arizonahistoricalsociety.org/online_exhibits/Dillinger/dillinger.html>. Included is a picture of the house that The Hideout is based on. The readers of 'Who's Johnny' will notice that at the time the picture was taken the house was not currently part of a neighborhood as described in the story. I played with the timeline some since this display is current and not part of the program in 2006.

The Tucson Weekly, <http://www.tucsonweekly.com/>, is an independent newspaper that caters more to the artsy and liberal side of life. It is known for outspoken editorials and having a finger on the pulse of all the alternative and edgy ways to have fun. It is a free publication and is read for its personal ads and meticulous compilation of events and activities going on in the city and surrounding areas.

The information that Duo quoted about famous painters who suffered from mental illness was taken from this article: <http://blisstree.com/feel/famous-writers-and-artists-and-mental-illness-234/>

Things:

Ocotillo cactus are common in the Sonora Desert. They have multiple stems and look more like a bush than a succulent. During the Christmas season it is not uncommon for people to string lights down random arms to create a very nice effect. Ocotillo without lights can be seen here: <http://www.29palmshistorical.com/images/nativePlants/Ocotillo%20in%20Joshua%20Tree%20National%20Park.jpg>. One with lights is here: <http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/3/2/3/3/8/ar118695071183323.JPG>

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Tucson, Arizona. Wednesday, April 23rd 2000.

It was just past nine p.m. when the security guard entered the ballroom. He flicked on one of the banks of overhead lights which flickered then slowly brightened to their full capacity. In a room the size of this one the single set of lights only banished the darkness from the center of the room leaving the edges in varying degree of shadow, but his boss was adamant that it was too expensive to use all of unless there was a paying customer in attendance. He stood at the door as long as he dared, eyes flickering around the room never alighting on one thing or place for too long. While his job was to be observant and aware his manner spoke less of hyper vigilance and more of paranoia bordering on diagnosable levels. Despite the comfortably cool temperature of the hotel his face was flushed and washed with an unseasonable heavy sheen of sweat.

When he could wait no longer the man pulled the door as far open as possible, darting into the room. From past experience he knew if he kept his eyes on the far door and walked quickly he could be halfway across the room before the heavy wooden door clicked shut behind him. His footsteps echoed eerily on the polished floor, the sound gathering and trailing behind him instead of fading away. His head twitched from side to side as if he was fighting the urge to look back, but terrified of what he would see. The swish of his polyester clad legs rubbing together added to the din that threatened to overwhelm his mind’s ability to process sensory input.

The guard, a no nonsense man nearing retirement age, was not prone to flights of fancy nor had he ever shied away from any place or job in his life. Over the course of his employment at Tucson Inn the solid stride and tinge of machismo that had earned him the position in the first place had been replaced by hunched shoulders and a timid shuffle. It wasn't the homeless people that often wandered through the parking lot that had eaten away at his mental health. Nor was it the occasion rude or overly demanding guest. Those could both be dealt with easily enough by either a call to the Tucson Police Department or delegating care to someone whose job it was to keep people happy.

People he could handle and he was paid a fair wage to do just that, handle them. No, it was that thing that scuttled across the walls and ceilings stalking him night after night. He had not signed on for that. It wasn't just him either, guests had reported seeing whatever the hell it was skulking around at night watching them. Unfortunately it had been all women, most of them traveling alone, so it was easy for the management to write it off as anxiety, nerves or overactive imaginations. They were brushed off or placated with out anything meaningful ever being done to deal with the problem. It was getting to be more than he could stand, but his pride and the need for money to support his family kept him coming back to work every day.

Thankfully, this was his final round of the night as his shift ended at ten thirty and the last half an hour was devoted to getting his paper work in order and briefing his relief. There had been a strange charge in the air today, like the build up before a summer storm, a sort of watching and waiting sense of anticipation. Something was about to happened and when it did no doubt it would be here. The guard’s sense of the thing had always been strongest here, even more than in the loading dock where the garbage bins huddled in shadowed corners hiding from the temperamental glow of the yellow street lights.

When all the lights were on and the room was filled with people it was beautiful. Any sense of dread or looming evil was dispelled by the presence of vibrant energy. Unfortunately those moments only served to highlight how large and hollow it felt on nights like this. Empty and cold, were such inadequate words to even begin to explain the sensation. The cold was unnatural and permeated the place no matter what the thermostat said the ambient temperature was. It chilled the guard to his bones taking it with his hopes, dreams and any understanding of what it meant to feel safe and happy.

He was almost to the door, his eyes fixated on the portal to sanity and freedom, when he saw it. The creature was spider walking across the wall right at eye level. Brilliant white holes glowed in the inky blackness that surrounded them in a mockery of eyes. The shape was vaguely humanoid with a head, four limbs and a torso, though the fingers were elongated, more like those of a frog or lizard. There was no real face to speak of and certainly no mouth yet the guard sensed it was smiling at him, smiling and waiting for him. Waiting the way a spider waits for a fly or a shark for a baby seal.

It stopped next to the door, not moving. Shaking with fright the guard keyed his radio and spoke into it requesting back up then almost immediately following it up with a demand that someone, anyone, help him. The answer was quick and curt, what was the emergency? Hearing the voice coming from the speaker of the radio the creature lifted its head and appeared to sniff the air. It moved away from the door, scuttling closer to the hapless guard.

All sense of the lay out of the room and where the exits were blotted out from his mind as he switched into fight or flight mode. With adrenaline coursing through his veins he backed up, moving ever faster until his ass hit the wall with a muffled thud that was barely audible over the harsh rasp of his breathing. In front of him the creature kept coming, its speed leisurely and steady as though it was simply out for a stroll not stalking helpless prey. The radio crackled then went silent as the guard keyed the mic in one last attempt to save himself and what little was left of his sanity. On the other end his screams filled the lobby in testament to a terror that stretched beyond anything words could describe.


	2. Chapter 2

Tucson, Arizona, Wednesday, December 13th, 2006.

The night was crisp and clear and seen through the windshield of a car it appeared merely cool maybe even chilly. The desert was deceptive that way. Summer days with clouds piled high gave the illusion of cool when the reality was much different and winter often played the same game in reverse. With the exception of the few weeks that passed for spring and fall the climate was about extremes, both high and low, sometimes in the space of a single day. Cold and dry the air sparked with static electricity and sapped the moisture from both skin and lung tissue that was already dried out from exposure to gas heaters and frequent winds. 

The piles of blackened wet leaves testified to the fact that fall had come and gone leaving winter to fill the void left behind. They drifted around the now barren tree trunks until the wind whirled them into the air or blew them into the needles of a near by cactus where they hung like Mother Nature's litter. A few of the bushes planted in the median to give the city a more tourist friendly look managed to retain some color, but for the most part they, like the trees, had reverted to the uniform color of brown that stated clearly 'I am hibernating, wake me when spring arrives'. 

Bundled up in a long coat, hat and lined leather gloves Trowa lifted his boot clad feet and stuck them closer to the vent that blew warm air onto the floorboards of Duo's car. He was cold in a way that got into his bones and refused to leave until the weather hit eighty five degrees for at least a week straight. Tonight on top of having to be out on one of the coldest nights on record he was required to spend a whole evening with people he hardly knew and make small talk. To say he was cranky was being generous to the point of deception. "I should be home studying for finals tomorrow not going to some stupid dinner where the chicken tastes like rubber and looks like something you cooked. Seriously, Duo, why are we wasting our time at this damn thing?" 

"Because the Tucson Weekly is going to run a piece on the Dillinger show at the Historical Society and they want to do a sidebar on The Hideout. Between the artwork I did, the then and now pictures of the place and your semi famous baseball ass I'm hoping it will drum us up some business." 

"My ass wasn't even semi famous when I was playing ball. No one remembers me now and I'd like to keep it that way." Trowa scowled out the windshield and leaned forward to rub his gloved hands together in front of the upper heater vent. "You're the one they're interested in because you did all the art work for the exhibit." His expression softened slightly letting a hint of pride shine through. "It's great stuff, they should be waiting in line to talk to you." 

"I'll be happy if it gets me some more commissions. I don't really want to be rich and famous. Well, famous anyway." Duo grinned and slowed to a stop as the vehicle ahead of him decided not to push through the amber light. "Famous artists are all crazy. Van Gough cut off his ear.." 

"..to spite his face?" 

Trowa smirked cutting into Duo's sentence only to be completely ignored as Duo kept on talking over him. " …because he was bi polar or some shit. Jackson Pollock, Pablo Picasso and Georgia O'keeffe were all supposedly depressed." 

"I'd be depressed if I sat around drew pictures of women's parts all day too." Trowa shuddered wrapping his arms around himself in only semi mock horror. 

Duo snorted, accelerating through the intersection when the car in front began to move again. "There's one sitting next to me in car right now complaining about the cold and having to be out past his bedtime." 

Trowa shot Duo a look that should have warmed him from the inside out and pulled the collar of his coat up further. "Come July we'll see who the pussy is when it's barely warm and you're sitting in front of the A/C whining about the heat." 

"A hundred and ten fucking degrees is _not_ barely warm. That's your problem, Tro. You've spent so much time out in the heat your brain melted." Duo pulled to a stop and checked traffic before making a right turn onto Congress. He caught a quick glance of the glowing eyes of the rattlesnake bridge before they drove under it, roaring past the tiled pictures that lined the wall where the bank had been reinforced with cement. 

"If mine is melted yours is frozen. I can't believe you aren't even wearing a jacket." The horror and disbelief tainting Trowa's voice usually accompanied more weighty statements such as 'I can't believe you kick puppies' or 'I can't believe that you steal from little old ladies'. 

"No need to worry, mom, I have my big boy panties on." Duo eased the car into the middle lane and slowed, waiting for traffic to clear so that he could make a left turn into the parking lot.

"Well thanks for that visual. Are they pink with pretty bows?" 

Duo grinned and waved the valet off driving past him to the non reserved spots. "That's for me to know and you to never to find out." He pulled the car into the first open space and parked it before turning to face his passenger. "Besides, the cold doesn't bother me because I'm naturally hot." He smirked into the rear view mirror and ran a hand over his hair before giving up on the attempt to tame his unruly bangs. He’d learned long ago that they always looked better when he let them do whatever they wanted. 

Trowa snorted and opened the door, wincing as a blast of icy cold air greeted him. "You are so full of shit it's amazing your eyes aren't brown." He opened the door wider and reluctantly stepped out into the night. 

"Tro, Tro, Tro." Duo tsked and clucked his tongue. "You are a hard man. I pity Quatre having to deal with you. He should probably be sainted for taking on such a sad case." 

Shoving his hands deeper into his pockets and hunching his shoulders against the cold Trowa came around the car to join his friend. "Quat likes me hard and trust me he's no saint." It was Trowa's turn to smirk and despite the layers of cloth masking his face he managed it well. 

Dropping his keys into his pocket Duo fell into step beside Trowa who was making a beeline for the light and warmth of the hotel where the banquet was being held. "I expect you to have my back in there. You know how those old ladies get after a few drinks. Last time I went to one of these things I came home with bruises on my ass from being pinched and groped." 

"You would think the whole out and proud as a gay man would stop that from happening." 

"Are you kidding? I could be wearing nothing but a rainbow flag and they would still be hitting on me. Life is tough when you are this sexy. Everyone wants you." Duo made a show of twitching his braid over his shoulder before striking a pose. "Don't hate me because I'm beautiful." 

Trowa's chuckle created a small cloud of steam in front of his face that fogged the glass door of the entrance. "Trust me, that is way down on the list of reasons why I hate you." 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Quatre straightened the cuffs of his suit jacket resisting the urge to check his watch yet again. The clock on the wall in front of him was equally accurate and showed that only fifteen minutes had passed. However, the need to verify it with his own time piece was growing stronger with each passing second. His book, a suspense thriller by one of his favorite authors, lay unopened in his lap. He had bought it specifically to read on this trip and yet thus far he hadn't managed to even open it to the first page. 

Between the wait in the airport, the flight, and the drive to the hotel he'd had plenty of opportunities. Unfortunately he'd also spent the whole day feeling off balanced and unsettled though mostly in a good way. Ever since he had decided to change his flight and come in a day early to surprise Trowa he'd been riding a bit of a buzz. It had been almost four months since they had seen each other and Quatre had figured it was worth the hassle of rescheduling one of his finals to have an extra night with his boyfriend.   
Especially when said boyfriend was receiving an award and therefore would be dressed up to do it. 

As much as Quatre loved seeing Trowa shirtless in cut offs there was something equally appealing about the idea of seeing how he looked in formal dress. Quatre licked his lips in anticipation. He had no doubt that he was going to enjoy taking his time slowly stripping every inch of those fancy clothes off. He shifted in his seat casually adjusting the drape of his suit coat over his lap to hide his body's reaction to the visual he hadn’t been able to let go of all day. His outer coat, pale camel colored cashmere, lay folded over the carryon bag at his feet. It would have afforded more privacy, but there was no way to move it from where it was to his lap without drawing more attention to what he was trying to avoid showing off. 

The lobby was comfortably warm and his clothes were a thicker grade of material meant to be worn in colder weather so adding his overcoat would just add to the discomfort he was already feeling. Trying to distract himself, Quatre looked around the lobby again taking in the dark woods of the walls and the earth tones of the decorations that tended to make a strong showing in most southwestern themed designs. It was nice enough in a very formal, business sort of way that strangely reminded him of Heero. 

Without warning a wave of homesickness for the casual comfort of The Hideout hit him leaving him feeling more disoriented and off balanced than before. He'd been nervous, even a little anxious, when he'd arrived but since stowing his luggage behind the desk and settling down the feeling had been growing. It was a niggling in the back of his mind like something or someone was watching him when that was plainly not true. His longing to see Trowa was slowly being replaced by a desire to be somewhere, anywhere, else. 

Normally those kinds of vibes would have caused Quatre to gather up his things and leave. He was well aware that being a sensitive meant he needed to listen to what he was feeling at all times. However, his relationship with Trowa was still new and Quatre hadn't made the trip across the country a day early just to bail out on his boyfriend's big moment. Trowa would understand and probably be the first one to encourage Quatre to listen to his instincts, but this was one time he refused to take the safer path. 

Forcing himself to close his eyes Quatre began a series of breathing techniques designed to help cleanse his mind. Once his mind was clear it would be easier to find his center and rebuild his defenses. He desperately wished he had more time and a quiet place to mediate, but this would have to do in the interim. Managing his gift and its influence over his life was something that Quatre had been doing for a long time. He knew what his limits were and he was not there yet. 

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Quat?" Trowa stopped abruptly at the end of the hallway that opened out into the lobby. Barely aware of the world around him Trowa ignored the impact against his back and thighs when Duo was to brake as quickly. Trowa stood and stared convinced he had gone so far around the bend he was now hallucinating. It was only the knowledge that his imagination would never be able to conjure up anything as delectable as the man sitting on the other side of the room that kept him from questioning his sanity. "Quat?" He called again, this time a little louder and was rewarded with seeing the other man's eyes snap open. 

Quatre was not even fully out of the chair before Trowa had him wrapped in his arms, his face buried in Quatre's neck breathing in the scent of his cologne, fighting back the urge to hang on and never let go. He always smelt so good. Even after spending the day sweating in the sun there was still a warm freshness that radiated from him. Pulling back a little Trowa grinned, open and completely unguarded, something he did so rarely it made Hailey's comet look like an every day occurrence. 

"You have no idea how fucking happy I am to see you." Trowa pulled Quatre close again and brought their lips together swallowing Quatre's reply. 

Duo cleared his throat then coughed as the kiss deepened and continued on. And on. And on. His expression showed clearly the internal battle between being happy for his friend and the longing to be wrapped up in his lover’s arms in a similar fashion. 

Tapping Trowa on the shoulder none too gently he took a breath when they slowly separated. "Shit, Tro. I thought I was going to have to turn the hose on you." Duo gave Trowa a pointed look which was wasted was Trowa didn’t notice it. It was as if his world had narrowed to include only Quatre and himself. "Hey, Quatre, I wasn't expecting to see you. Are you early or am I confused?"

"I'm early." Quatre's gaze flicked briefly to Duo and his smile took on a slightly apologetic edge before he turned his attention back to Trowa. "I heard you were getting an award and so I thought I would come and cheer you on." 

"It's mostly Duo. I'm just here because he promised me rubber chicken and a night of being friendly to strangers. How could I say no to that?" Trowa's eyes never left Quatre's face though the now mostly good natured sarcasm was clearly meant for Duo. 

"I'm glad you didn't." Quatre smoothed down the lapels of Trowa's jacket. A soft sound that was almost a purr accompanied the movements of his hands causing Trowa to arch an eyebrow in amusement. "You clean up nicely. Even better than I pictured." 

Trowa blushed and ducked his head looking out from behind his fall of hair with an embarrassed yet eager smile. "So do you, but you look good dirty too." At Duo's snort Trowa raised his middle finger and pointed his hand in the general direction of where his friend was. 

"You have the heart of a romantic, Tro. Who would have guessed? Why don't you tell Quatre how his eyes are the color of lipid pools and that his smile is brighter than the sun on a summer day?" Duo batted his eyes, going for a look to match the sappy sweet tone of his voice. When Quatre added his one finger to salute to Trowa's, Duo's grin slowly morphed into a smirk. "Thanks for the offer guys, but all this fabulousness is already taken. We've got rich old ladies and newspaper guys to charm and entertain before the two of you can sneak off and have a quickie." 

"I like the sound of the quickie part." Trowa kissed Quatre again, taking his time and ignoring Duo's indignant noises before pulling away reluctantly. "Let's do this. The sooner this thing is over the sooner we can get home. Then we can take all the time we want." 

Duo fell in step beside them shaking his head. "I wonder if circle K sells earplugs." 

"Better get a box," Trowa responded without taking his eyes off Quatre. "You're going to need them." 

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"I'm sorry." Quatre flashed an apologetic smile at the older woman who had cornered him at the edge of the buffet table. 

She waved away his apology, obviously unconcerned that Quatre was barely keeping up his end of the conversation. "I was just saying that you look pale. Are you feeling alright? Have some water dear, it is so easy to get dehydrated in the desert even during the winter. It’s just so dry all the time." 

"I’ll do that, thank you. I’m fine, really, just a little jet lagged and tired after traveling all day." He sipped his wine using it to cover his lapse making sure to pay enough attention to smile and nod in all the right places. It was taking all his self control not to bolt out of the room. The uneasiness he had been feeling since he stepped into the ballroom had settled into a background buzz in his head like a radio with the volume slowly inching up the dial. With some work and focus he had managed to keep it at a manageable level. 

That was until the coordinator of the Dillinger exhibit had taken Trowa and Duo off to be interviewed and have their pictures taken. Normally, Quatre would be right at home in this kind of situation, but watching Trowa walk away across the crowded ballroom floor had left Quatre feeling like an bleeding man in a pool filled with piranhas. It was taking all his not inconsiderable mental strength to keep his head up and the smile plastered on his lips. Without Trowa's solid calm to act as a protective barrier whatever it was that he kept catching glimpses of out of the corner his eye had a clear shot and was taking full advantage of it. 

Downing the rest of his wine in a single gulp he set the glass down and smiled politely. "If you'll excuse me I need to find the restroom before follow your advice and have some water.” 

She gave him an understanding smile and nod in return. "If you head straight through the double doors and turn left you'll find what you are looking for." 

"Thank you. It was very nice to meet you." He hurried away letting the woman assume his urgency was the result of a full bladder even though he knew the truth. 

The bathroom was exactly where he was led to believe it would be and Quatre stepped inside the stark white room with a sigh of relief. Just getting out of the ballroom had eased the prickling feeling between his shoulder blades enough to allow him to draw a calming breath. Five minutes of peace and quiet without having to make nice and worry about how he was presenting himself would be enough to up the buffer on his tolerance. 

He knew taking the wine had been a mistake, but then so had ignoring his instincts in the first place. Even though Trowa knew all about Quatre's work as a sensitive there was a part of Quatre that refused to bow out of the evening despite the epic case of the willies he was developing. Doing the social thing was hard enough on Trowa, knowing that Quatre was uncomfortable would make it that much worse. This was an important time for Trowa and Quatre was not about to be a liability to his boyfriend. 

Sighing deeply Quatre walked over to the row of sinks lining the wall and turned on the water. Mindful of his jacket and shirt sleeves he cupped his hands so that he could splash water on his face. Using his finger tips he massaged his temple feeling his mind and body relax a little. Taking in a slow breath he counted to ten then released it the same way. It wasn't the same as meditating but the breathing exercises had helped him center himself earlier and Quatre was hoping a second set would get him through the rest of the dinner. 

He had just splashed another handful of water on his face when the prickling between his shoulder blades turned into shards of ice that slid down his nerve endings to settle at the base of his spine. Quatre's eyes flew open and for a split second he saw a black humanoid shape in the mirror. It was gone so quickly that for a moment he thought it had to be a trick of his imagination. He pulled a couple of paper towels out of the dispenser at the far end of the row of sinks and patted his face dry making sure keep his eyes open the whole time. 

With the paper towels in the garbage can there was nothing left but to return to the banquet and hope for the best. He ran a hand over his tie to smooth down imaginary wrinkles and squared his shoulders in preparation. He was two steps from the door when a black spot appeared in the middle of it. Uttering a curse in Arabic he stumbled back watching in horror as it grew in size. Slowly it took on the shape of a vaguely bipedal creature though more of a shadow than anything corporeal. It appeared to absorb light instead of simply being black in color. 

All of the techniques Quatre used for self protection abandoned him leaving only his basic fight or flight instincts. Still back pedaling as fast as he could he hit the wall with a thump that registered on both a physical and an audio level. The creature raised its head and gave Quatre a look. The lack of features did nothing to mask the thing’s intent as it studied him. Unable to look away Quatre marked its progress as it began to make its way towards him.

The sound of the door slamming open jarred Quatre's gaze from the thing on the wall and broke the spell. Pushing off from the surface behind him he bolted forward into Trowa almost knocking them both to the floor. Burying his face in Trowa's neck he hung on tightly letting the familiar, safe feeling of his boyfriend surround him and drive away the terror. It wasn't until he raised his head to thank Trowa for coming to his rescue that he realized his throat was raw from screaming. 

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"It was the freakiest shit I've ever seen!" Duo paced the length of his room loosening his tie with one hand and holding his cell phone to his ear with the other. "I'm telling you Heero if I didn't know Quatre I would have thought his cheese had slipped completely off his cracker." 

On the other end of the line Heero’s concern came clearly through the line. "Where is he now? Is he alright?" 

"They're in the kitchen. Tro's got him wrapped in a blanket and is making him drink chamomile tea. The guy is a regular mother hen when he wants to be. It’s almost scary the way Quatre brings that out in him." 

"Is Quatre calm now? The presence he sensed is gone?" 

"Yeah." Duo pulled the tie off and tossed it in the general direction of his bed. "He said the feeling was mainly in the ballroom though he could feel it in the lobby too, just not as strong." 

There was silence for a moment and Duo shifted ears before settling on the bed to untie his shoes. Heero was not the type to fill the air with pointless chatter when he was thinking. As long as Duo could hear breathing instead of a dial tone he would hold on and wait for Heero to speak. Both shoes and socks had joined the tie and Duo was unbuttoning his shirt when Heero spoke. "I'm concerned. This is unlike anything we have ever dealt with. Quatre is unprepared to assess the risk or analyze exactly what it is that he is dealing with." 

"I don't think Tro is going to let him anywhere near the place again so it should be all good, right?" Duo paused, his fingers holding a button at an angle in preparation to draw it through the buttonhole. 

"Perhaps. We have no data on anything with this level of malignancy so it is difficult to make any type of reasonable assessment. Emotional residue, yes, but from what you have described this appears to be an entity of some type." 

Blowing out a breath Duo flopped back on the bed. "There is no way in hell I'm going to tell Quatre to go home. He won't do it and Trowa will flip his shit if I try to separate them.” 

"As well he should." There was no mistaking the approving tone in Heero's voice. "I was not suggesting that Quatre cut his visit short." 

"What were you thinking then?" 

"Wufei and I are both finished with our finals once I speak to Quatre's father I believe we will be able to get funding from the foundation to conduct an investigation. We would prefer to stay with you if you have room, of course." 

"Yeah." Duo swallowed the sudden lump in his throat trying to fight the grin that was threatening to spread over his face. "I think we can find a place to set you up since our reservations fell through. Will Relena be coming too?" 

"I would prefer not however the decision will be hers and Wufei's. I have been repeatedly informed that she does not need me to tell her how to run her life." The approving tone had disappeared and was replaced by something, that in anyone else, would border on disgruntled. 

"When will you know?" Now that the possibility of seeing Heero was taking on a sense of reality the ache in Duo's chest tightened. If this fell through he was going to have a hard time bouncing back from it.

"I'll contact Mr. Winner first thing in the morning and call you as soon as I have any information." 

"Okay." The timbre of Duo's voice slipped showing the undisguised longing he was feeling. "I'll make up the rooms. We don't have any reservations until the middle of January so you can stay for a while if you need to." 

"I'd like that." Heero's voice softened as he shifted gears from paranormal investigator to boyfriend. "I think this year the Yuy family holiday will find a way to proceed without me." 

Duo grinned already making plans in his head. "Their loss is my gain." 

"And mine." He sighed softly before continuing. "I need to call Wufei and inform him of what is happening before it gets too late." 

"Tell him I said hey and I'll see him tomorrow." 

"I will. Sleep well, Duo." There was the pause of a heart beat and Heero added "Take care of yourself." 

“I will, you do the same." 

Duo ended the call and let the phone fall to the bed beside him. Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough. 

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Wufei wrapped an arm around Relena, his lips brushing lightly against the tender spot behind the hinge of her jaw. From there he moved down caressing the column of her neck with soft kisses. Though she didn't move he could tell she was awake by the way her breath caught then sped up. He splayed his hand on her belly, stretching out his fingers then drawing them back in a way that was designed to stimulate the nerve endings he caressed. 

"Keep doing that and you aren't going to get to sleep any time soon." 

Chuckling softly Wufei worked his hand up under the top of Relena's pajamas to caress the bottom of one of her breasts. 

"I think I can…" The rest of Wufei's statement was cut off by the buzz of his cell phone on the bedside table. Without removing his hand he rolled enough to see the screen. "Heero," he grumped leaving the mobile where it was. "I'll call him back in the morning." 

Relena's chuckle was breathier than normal when he slid his hand up to cup her breast, holding it lightly in his hand. "Just tell him you were busy." She rolled towards Wufei, smiling as his phone played the tune that indicated he had a voice mail. A moment later the ringer on her phone sounded. "Oh, for Heaven's sake." She huffed out a breath and pulled away from Wufei to pick it. "If I don't answer this you know he is going to send out search and rescue teams." 

"Or show up the on doorstep." Wufei rolled onto his back willing himself not to think about the ache in his groin. 

With a vigorous nod of agreement Relena pressed the button on her phone to connect the call. After saying yes once then again, a frown furrowing between her eyes she handed the phone to Wufei. "He needs to talk to you. It's about Quatre." 

The annoyance disappeared to be replaced by concern as Wufei sat up, reaching for the phone in the same motion. The look deepened as he listened, occasionally interjecting a terse comment. It was less than five minutes when Wufei handed Relena back her phone before slipping out of bed. "Heero and I are flying to Tucson tomorrow." 

"Is Quatre okay?" Relena chewed on lip then threw the covers back and grabbed her robe. "How long will we be there? Should I let mom know not to expect us for Christmas?" 

"He'll fine according to Duo. Just shaken up. I don't know how long we'll be gone. Apparently he saw something and Heero wants to take the equipment out and investigate it." 

"My cameras are already packed." She crossed the room and pulled a suitcase down from the top shelf in the closet. "How cold is it there?" 

"Relena…" The warning tone in his voice was softened by the warmth of underlying affection. 

"Don't waste your time trying to talk me out of this. I'm going even if I have to pay my own way." She pulled a sweater out of the closet and examined it critically before folding it into the suitcase. "Besides, I'd rather spend tonight finishing up what Heero interrupted then arguing." 

Setting the shirt in his hand on the bed Wufei pulled her close and nuzzled her neck. He was perfectly happy to concede this time as he was in total agreement with her statement.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

Trowa wrapped himself around Quatre holding him closely as possible without suffocating his boyfriend. The bed wasn't large, but then it didn't need to be. Lying entangled the way they were they barely took up more room than Trowa did when he slept by himself. Part of him ached to make love, but he had kept himself in check, holding Quatre and stroking his back until his breathing evened out into the pattern of sleep. As much as Trowa's feeling for Quatre had a strong physical component the need to hold him like this was just as compelling. 

Quatre rolled slightly, resettling himself against Trowa's side. "Not sleeping?" Quatre's voice held the huskiness of someone just waking, but not the incoherence. 

"No, not yet." Trowa ran a hand lightly down Quatre's back to rest right above the swell of his buttocks. "I was thinking." 

"That sounds dangerous." Quatre chuckled and shifted back a little so he could see Trowa's face in the dim room. "Are you going to tell me about it or do I have to guess?"

"I was scared for you." The words were few, but they carried no less emotional weight for their brevity. Too many losses at a young age had etched a fear of abandonment in Trowa’s soul. 

All humor disappeared from Quatre's face and he reached up to softly stroke Trowa's cheek feeling the beginnings of razor stubble under his fingers. "I know. I'm sorry. I wanted to be there to support you and Duo so I didn't listen to my instincts. It was a stupid thing to do." He paused, lowering his head to rest on Trowa's chest. "There are times when I really hate having this ability." 

"It's part of who you are." It was a simple statement of fact and yet the acceptance and understanding imbued in it made Quatre tighten his hold on Trowa for the space of a heartbeat. Quatre took a long deep breath to recenter himself, focusing on the strong but slender fingers working their way into his hair and lightly massaging his scalp. It was calming and safe in a way that Trowa himself was. 

"Yes, it is." Quatre relaxed his hold grounding himself on the steady beat of Trowa's heart under his ear. "When I first found out I was a sensitive Rashid told me that it was a gift I had no control over, but it was up to me to decide the kind of man I would be because I was the only one who could control that." He sighed, the fingers of one hand idly tracing lines on Trowa's stomach. "It made me realize there was more to me than just being a sensitive and I needed to figure out the rest too." 

"You are who you are, Quat. All of it is important. All of you." 

Quatre lifted up, smiling as warmth flooded him. "What I am," he said, his lips brushing against the sensitive skin below Trowa’s ear. "Is about to get laid by my gorgeous..." Quatre turned his attention to the line of Trowa’s collarbone, nipping and sucking with increasing focus. “…hot…” Quatre’s lips continued their decent marking skin as they went. “…kind…” His tongue circled a nipple before flicking it once before moving on. “… and all around amazing boyfriend.”

Trowa groaned, his fingers tightening and releasing the silken strands of Quatre’s hair. “I..” Trowa arched up, words deserting him under the pleasurable assault of Quatre’s tongue. “I like that part of you the best.”


	3. Chapter 3

Tucson, Arizona, Wednesday, December 14th, 2006.

 

"We have protocols and procedures in place for a reason, Heero. I can't just bypass them because I want to." Madani Winner sighed trying to cover his agitation by sipping tea. "I'm not sure having Quatre go back into this hotel would be a good idea if he was so disturbed by what he saw. He hasn't had that kind of a reaction since he was first learning to control his gift." 

Heero leaned forward is his seat letting his coffee cool in front of him. "He was unprepared and it caught him with his guards down. It would be different if he was cognizant of what to be on the lookout for."

Mr. Winner's eyes flicked to Wufei and caught, letting them ask the question. The nod he received in return spoke volumes about Quatre's abilities and Wufei's willingness to trust him. 

"Have you even spoken with him? Does he want to investigate? After all he's on vacation, spending time with his boyfriend. It would be a simple matter for him to just avoid this place, yes?" 

Wufei's chuckle was soft and affectionate as he smiled at the man who had been a second father to him. "This is Quatre we are talking about. Once he gets past the shock he is going to want to know. More than likely he will talk Trowa and Duo into helping him. They are untrained and ill equipped to do the job, but if Quatre asks they will attempt it. I have no doubt of that." 

Mr. Winner nodded unable to argue with Wufei's assessment of the situation. "From what I saw of young Mr. Maxwell he would do it for the thrill of trying something new. He appears undaunted by the normal things that constrain people." 

His eyes cut to Heero who smiled his agreement about Duo's personality. "Yes he would. Duo likes to be challenged and to try new things. He asked a lot of questions when were doing our investigation of the bed and breakfast." 

"What about Trowa? Would he be as willing?" 

This time Wufei answered after sharing a look with Heero. "If Quatre asked him to jump off a cliff Trowa would do it without hesitation or reserve." At the raised eyebrow from Mr. Winner he added. "Trowa is a gymnast and his sister works for a circus. He'd find a way to make it survivable while making sure that Quatre got what he wanted." 

"My son is used to getting his way though I did my best not to spoil him. Allah knows he was a strong willed child and no less stubborn for having grown into a mostly reasonable adult." 

"How many times did you tell him that curiosity killed the cat?" 

"It was my mantra." Madani's laugh was as affectionate though it carried a more rueful quality to it. "The two of you were always into something you shouldn't have been." 

"And rarely was it my idea." Wufei reached across the table to squeeze Mr. Winner's hand. "When he goes back for a second look won't you feel better if he has the team with him?" 

"Wufei, my son, your powers of persuasion are wasted in studying history. They would be better served in law or business." 

"I've had plenty of practice in trying to talk my way out of the trouble that Quatre led me into." 

"That is something I can't argue with." Mr. Winner smiled. "It will make me feel better to know that you are there with him. I'll call Iria and have her make all the arrangements. I assume you would like to leave as soon as possible." 

Heero nodded in assent. "I believe the sooner we are able to take some readings the more we will be able to determine from the data." 

"I expect Quatre to be informed that while the foundation is footing the bill for this expedition it was completely your idea." Madani had always been close to his son though a bit on the protective side. It was something he and Quatre had fought about and finally come to an understanding over. As much as he might be concerned about his son's well being Madani was also very aware that Quatre was his own person and deserved to be treated as such. Wrapping Wufei in a strong one armed hug Madani lowered his voice to a soft whisper. "Take care of him. Quatre is my heart."

Wufei hugged him back not hiding his affection for the older man. "I always do." 

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It was a little after nine when Duo knocked on the door to Trowa's room. When there was no response he knocked again, a little louder this time before opening the door just wide enough for him to look in. Trowa was already up and gone, his backpack and coat gone from their usual spot next to the door. Quatre, however, was still in the arms of Morpheus, his head on one pillow, the other resting against his chest in a loose embrace. Duo studied the sleeping man for a minute mentally noting the smallest details with the intent of recreating the picture on paper as a gift for Trowa. 

"Coffee's on if you want some." Duo pitched his voice a little higher and louder than usual and was rewarded with slight movement. Slowly Quatre's eyes opened then slid shut again. "Don't you want to be wide eyed and awake when Trowa gets home?"

This time he was rewarded with a snort as Quatre snuggled down deeper under the covers, clutching Trowa's pillow to him. "He'd rather come home and find me in bed." Though Quatre's face was slightly obscured Duo could hear him clearly. 

Duo snorted and tried a different tact since there was no doubt that Quatre had the stronger argument on his side. "The coffee is hot and there are fresh muffins in the kitchen." When Quatre didn't stir he added, "I really need to talk to you before Trowa gets back." 

"Okay." Quatre stretched, his body uncurling not unlike his name sake. He sat up letting the sheet and blankets fall from his upper body to reveal several round, red marks on his neck and shoulders. The innocence of the early picture fell away with the linens to reveal a happily debauched young man who, Duo decided, made a much better image to put on paper for Trowa. "Can you give me a couple of minutes? I need to wake up and get dressed." 

"Sure. No problem." Duo grinned then ducked out of the door. He could feel a blush rising to his cheeks even as he filed away what he had seen to tease Trowa with later.

True to his word, less than ten minutes later, Quatre shuffled into the dining room wearing a blue long sleeved t-shirt and a pair of blue and gray striped sleep pants. Thick white socks covered his feet and even though he was running his fingers through his hair it was clear it had yet to see a comb. "You promised me coffee." 

"Coming right up." Duo placed an oversized mug in front of Quatre then added a blueberry muffin on a small plate next to it. "Tro'll be home in an hour or so and you can get him to make you a real breakfast then, but this should hold you for now." 

Quatre nodded sipping the coffee without speaking. After a minute or two the caffeine appeared to hit his bloodstream and he smiled setting the mug down to pick up the muffin. "What was it you wanted to talk about?" 

"Last night." 

A shadow chased across Quatre's face and the smile fell away replaced by something more wary and guarded. "What about it specifically?" 

"After we got home I called Heero. He was really worried about you. He called Wufei and they are flying out today. Relena's coming too. Their flight gets in at 8:15." 

"They're coming here?" Quatre's fingers tightened on his coffee cup. Despite his clear displeasure he kept his voice light. "Why exactly did they decide to do that?" 

"Heero wanted to check out that thing you saw last night. He said you guys have never seen anything like it before." For the space of a second Duo wished he had let Trowa break the news to Quatre instead of taking it on himself. He’d never been the kind of person to avoid facing the results of his decisions, but that didn’t make sitting across the table from Quatre any easier.

"I see." Quatre took a long drink of his coffee before setting the mug carefully on the table. “I am assuming then that they are traveling at the foundation’s expense and I should be prepared to put my vacation on hold.” 

"Heero asked me to pass a message on to you." Lifting an eyebrow in question, Quatre waited quietly for Duo to continue. "He said to tell you that it was his and Wufei's idea to come and your father tried to talk them out of it. One of the conditions was that Heero make sure you knew he was not going back on your agreement." 

At that some of the tension went out of Quatre's shoulders and the frown lines on his face eased. “Well, that’s something. Wufei has always been able to convince my dad to see his side of things. I think they commiserate over both having to deal with me too much.” 

Pleased, Duo continued. "Heero also said to tell you that scientific curiosity was not his only motivation and that you would know what he meant."

"Ah, well, I can understand that." Quatre's expression softened even more. He picked up the muffin, took a large bite and washed it down with a swig of coffee. "I would probably do the same thing in a similar situation." He sighed, running his hand through his hair so his bangs stuck out every which way. “I hadn’t planned to spend my vacation working. I was really hoping to just hang out and spend some time with Trowa.” 

“I’m sorry. This was not my intention when I talked to Heero.” Duo’s voice held genuine contrition. “We talk about everything and what happened last night kind of freaked me out.” 

“I was too.” Quatre finished off the muffin and topped off his coffee. “If I had known what was going to happen I wouldn’t have changed the damn reservation.” He sighed then brightened. “At least you’ll be able to see Heero now. That is something good in all of this.” 

“Yeah.” Duo grinned then sobered. “I’m not gonna lie and say I’m not happy about that, but I wouldn’t have fucked over your visit for that.” 

“I know.” Quatre drained his mug then pinned Duo with a steady gaze. “If I thought you would have we wouldn’t still be friends.” 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Trowa opened the door to the bed and breakfast, stepped inside and closed it quickly behind him to avoid letting in anymore cold air than necessary. He startled then smiled when he noticed Quatre curled up on the couch with his laptop reading intently. After a quick detour to his room to drop off his outerwear and backpack Trowa flopped down next to Quatre. "I thought you would be sleeping." Trowa wrapped his arms around Quatre's waist and turned to nuzzle his neck. 

"I was until Duo bribed me with coffee." Quatre leaned back into Trowa's touch, but kept his eyes on the computer screen.

"I'll have to remember to thank him for that." 

Quatre chuckled then closed the computer before setting it down on the couch beside him. "It wasn't nearly as nice as how I was expecting to be woken up." He shifted, turning in Trowa's arms so they were now face to face. 

"Oh?" Trowa smiled then lifted his hands to cup Quatre's face.

Quatre leaned in and wrapped his arms around Trowa's neck before kissing him gently, but with passion held in reserve. "I was thinking it might be more like that, but with fewer clothes and more blankets." 

"Could you show me again? To make sure I've got it right." Quatre chuckled then touched his lips to Trowa's letting them linger as he shifted closer before deepening the kiss. One of Trowa’s hands slid down Quatre's back and worked its way up under his shirt while the other moved back to cradle the back of his neck to hold him in place. 

When they finally broke apart both were smiling and breathing heavier than before. "You're a quick study." 

Trowa grinned, resting his forehead against Quatre's. "I’m a very hands on learner." Rising carefully and bringing Quatre with him Trowa resumed the kiss. “You make me want to jump right in and get my hands dirty.”

Chuckling into the kiss, Quatre let himself be walked across the room and down the hall trusting that Trowa knew where he was going as well and would make sure Quatre didn't run into anything or trip over any unseen obstacles. When they broke apart slowly, Quatre leaned in resting his forehead against Trowa's shoulder determined to make sure that Trowa knew what was happening later in the evening. "Heero’s flying in tonight." 

Trowa startled, blinking like someone suddenly exposed to the sunlight, at the sudden discussion of Heero’s travel plans. His frown quickly morphed into a crooked smirk as the implications worked their way into his lust soaked brain cells. "Good, we won't have to worry about entertaining Duo." Trowa tilted his head, kissing his way down Quatre’s neck until the collar of his shirt blocked the way. 

"Wufei…" Quatre's breath hitched as Trowa's lips and tongue began to work on the sensitive skin he had found. Forcing himself to focus on something other than the liquid fire running across his skin Quatre continued on. "Wufei and Relena are coming too." His message delivered, he ran the fingers of one hand into Trowa's hair while sliding the other down to rest at the base of Trowa's spine.

"Duo can entertain them too." Trowa's voice was muffled and the way he pulled Quatre flush against him made it clear that the conversation was not only not at the top of his priority list it wasn’t even going to crack the top ten. 

With a groan of pure hedonistic pleasure Quatre melted into Trowa's touch letting everything else dissipate in the face of his need.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Checking her watch Cathy gathered her two small bags and hit send on the text message she was composing. Once it sent she powered down her phone and shoved it into the front pocket of her purse. The fact that Trowa hadn't replied to her yet was annoying, but not surprising. Quatre was due to arrive today and no doubt her brother was busy either doing shuttle duty or entertaining his guest. She had no qualms about crashing the party since she had a standing invitation to visit any time she had time off from the circus. 

Originally she had planned to work through the holidays this year. The money was good and she was working on building up a nest egg. As much as she loved what she did it was never meant to be a long term career choice. More of filler while she decided what it was she wanted to do with her life. The sheer physicality of the work she did took its toll on the body sooner or later. 

Flashing the attractive man checking boarding passes a smile Cathy handed hers over and waited for the go ahead to board her plane. She wasn't sure what it was that had made her change her mind about this visit, something in Trowa's tone when he talked about seeing his boyfriend again or maybe a need to reconnect with her brother. She’d been missing him a lot lately. Whatever it was after they had talked last she had gone to the manager and arranged a few days off. 

She had no intentions of getting in the way of Trowa and Quatre. She had friends in Tucson and Duo was good company as well. When it came down to it she wanted to meet Quatre and see for herself how he treated her brother. Trowa was a big boy and God knew he had a mind of his own, but that didn't mean that Cathy was going to just walk away from her responsibilities as his sister. 

In the plane she found her seat and stowed one of her bags in the overhead compartment. The other one went down by her feet and settled herself the best she could. She had sixteen hours of air time and two layovers before she would touch down at Tucson International; one of the downsides to flying at Christmas time on short notice. Still, it was a small price to pay for a chance to meet and get to know the person who had captured her brother's heart. 

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

Trowa woke up slowly savoring the languid feeling of being able to nap in the middle of the day combined with a good dose of lingering after glow. Next to him Quatre was still breathing deeply, a relaxed smile on his face. Careful not to wake his sleeping boyfriend Trowa moved closer, working his leg between Quatre's. One hand ghosted lightly down Quatre's side before coming to rest on his hip. In the back of Trowa’s mind something niggled at him, but he shook it off, refusing to let anything distract him from the beautiful man sprawled boneless across his bed.

As if sensing the scrutiny he was under Quatre rolled more onto his side as his eyes drifted open then closed again. Making a contented and dreamy sound he curled closer, draping an arm over Trowa's chest. "Time's it?" Quatre's voice was scratchy and heavy with the residue of sleep and multiple vocal outbursts from the earlier sexual activity. 

"Almost two." 

Quatre stretched then settled back. "Good. We don't need to leave for a couple of hours." 

"Got a hot date?" Good humor infused the casual tone of Trowa’s voice. 

"Not until we get back from the airport." Quatre's smile took on a darker more earthy edge that left no doubt to the meaning behind it.

For space of second Trowa's endorphin drenched mind drew a blank before pulling up a vague memory. "Heero? Right? Duo can pick him then we won't be intruding." Trowa smiled, pleased at resolving the situation in a way that didn't require him or Quatre to get out of bed. 

"Wufei and Relena are coming too. We're going to need to rent a car. There is no way all of us and the equipment is going to fit in Duo's. I called this morning and reserved a mini van. We can pick it up at the airport before their plane lands." 

"What equipment and why are Wufei and Relena coming?" A hint of suspicion crept into Trowa's voice as his mind started putting things together and giving him answers he didn't like. 

"The equipment we usually use." 

"Why? You're on vacation, Quat." 

"I know. I am, but…" Quatre paused ghosting a hand up and down Trowa's side as he searched for the right words. "I need to know what that thing was I saw last night." 

"So you invited Heero, Wufei and Relena to come investigate for you?" 

"With me and it wasn't my idea." Quatre pulled away lying stiffly against the wall. "Heero and Wufei arranged it without talking to me first. But since it is a done deal I’m going to do the best job I can. I’m the leader of the team and I have a responsibility to the foundation, my father and my crew.”

"You're going back there?" Trowa's voice was incredulous. "After what happened last night? That thing attacked you! I had to help you out of the hotel and you didn’t stop shaking until after we got home." 

"I wasn't prepared." Quatre's voice was steely calm even though his eyes were blazing. "The next time I will be well rested, centered and have Wufei with me. As long as he’s got my back nothing is going to happen." 

A flash of jealousy hot and bright burned through Trowa at the mention of Wufei. The logical part of his brain gave him a kick and reminded him that Quatre and Wufei had been friends since infancy and Wufei was trained to be Quatre's support and buffer when he was working as a sensitive. The emotional side, however, was having none of it. "No."

“What do you mean no?” 

There was a deadly calm to Quatre’s words that Trowa ignored, jealousy and fear pushing him on. “No. I won’t let you.” 

Quatre locked eyes with his boyfriend thrusting his chin forward in defiance. "I don’t remember asking for your permission. This is what I do and who I am. I didn’t take orders from my father and I sure as hell am not going to take them from you. If you don’t like it then you can fuck off!” 

Trowa threw back the covers and crawled out of bed not seeming to care or notice his nakedness. "This is me fucking off." He punctuated his sentence with the slamming of the bedroom door behind him as he stalked out into the hall. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Putting the finishing touches on the sketch he was working on Duo set down the pencil and leaned back to look at it. The shadowing would need to be darkened and extended in a few places, but over all he was pleased with how the piece was turning out. Standing he rolled his shoulders and stretched, working the kinks out of his neck and back. The slamming door a few minutes ago most likely was to let him know that Trowa was taking Quatre back to bed _again_ so now would be a good time to make a fresh pot of coffee and grab a sandwich. 

The aroma of freshly brewed coffee hit Duo’s nose as soon as he neared the kitchen giving him pause. Assuming that Trowa had made a pot before running off for another bout of mattress mambo Duo shrugged his shoulders and kept going. Turning the corner into the dining room Duo pulled up short and stared, the corner of his mouth quirking in amusement. Instead of the empty room he was expecting he was greeted with the picture of Trowa wrapped in one of the spare blankets cradling a steaming mug of coffee as if he suspected the whole world of trying to steal it out from under him0. It was a good thing that he took it black because the look on his face would have curdled any dairy products that might have gone into it.

"Nice outfit, Tro. Did Quatre pull a taming of the shrew and refuse to let you have your clothes?" 

"No." Trowa's response was curt and did nothing to encourage further conversation. 

Undeterred Duo poured himself a mug of java then joined his friend at the table.   
"Practicing your toga technique in case you decide to join a frat? From what I hear it works better with a sheet." Trowa's lips tightened but he did not raise his eyes from his cup. Sighing, Duo set down his mug, opting for the straight forward approach. "For a guy who’s gotten laid about a million times in the last twenty four hours you don't look very happy. 

"I’m sure Wufei will be able to fix that too when he gets here." 

Slowly Duo sipped from his mug before setting it on the table. "Okay." He drew the word out letting the confusion he was feeling saturate the tone of his voice. "I’ll bite what do you mean by that?" 

"Ask Quatre." 

"I'm asking you, Tro. What the hell are you talking about?" 

Trowa took a long drink of his coffee and rubbed at his eyes. For the space of a moment Duo could see the angry, defensive little boy his friend use to be and it saddened him. They had both grown and changed a lot over the years, but when it came to emotional matters Trowa still had a lot of difficulty admitting how he was feeling let alone dealing with it in a healthy way. Quatre had been good for Trowa on that score because he pushed past the knee jerk responses and forced Trowa to talk, but there was still a hell of a long way to go. 

Despite the awkwardness of the situation Duo let the silence settle around them. Trowa would talk when he was ready and trying to force it out would only make things worse.   
Several minutes passed and Duo was considering topping off his coffee when Trowa finally broke the silence. Even though he was sitting close Duo had to lean in to catch all the words. "He's going back. I told him not to, but he's going to anyway because Wufei will be with him." 

Scooting his chair closer Duo draped an arm over Trowa's shoulders. "That's why they decided to come out, because Heero and Wufei knew that Quatre wouldn't just walk away. He never does no matter how much something might mess with him." 

"He said he needs to know what that thing was." Trowa sighed and rested his head in his hands. "Why can't he just let it go?"

Duo shrugged, shaking his head. "I don't know, Tro. You need to ask him. We both do strange things because of our pasts; I'm guessing Quatre is the same. 

Trowa nodded and pulled the blanket tighter around himself. "It doesn't matter. He wants Wufei there." The 'not me' remained unspoken, but was no less tangible for it. It hollowed out Trowa's words and bounced off the walls like the proverbial unmentioned elephant in the room. 

"You know," Duo chose his words carefully, speaking slowly and with caution. "If I was visiting Heero and he was going to have a party and cook for a bunch of people you are the first person I’d call to help. That doesn't mean I wouldn't want Heero there or that you are more important than he is just that you’re better at cooking and I know I can depend on you to do a good job." 

Towa mulled this over for a minute before downing the rest of his coffee. Setting the mug carefully on the table he stood, pulling the blanket around him. His eyes looked bloodshot, but the anger and guarded look was gone, replaced by a deep sadness. "I need to talk to Quatre." At the door he paused, turning slightly so that his eyes met Duo's. "Thanks." 

Making a dismissive gesture Duo waved him off, his mind already onto deciding between roast beef and ham for lunch.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Sighing heavily Quatre pulled his knees put to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. Sitting in bed alone was not what he wanted to be doing now. He understood Trowa’s concerns in fact they echoed his own, but he was not about to walk away from a chance to study whatever the hell it was he had seen the previous night. Quatre Winner did not turn tail and run away just because something scared him. Nor did he let the people he cared for tell him what to do. 

Quatre had been through this too many times to give up the fight now. He’d stood his ground with his father and won the right to make his own decision and he would stand for nothing less in this relationship with Trowa. If he couldn’t understand that then maybe he was not the right man for Quatre. The idea that this disagreement could end in a break up sent a jolt of pain through Quatre that startled him by its intensity. They had only been dating for five months and most of that time had been spent with a country between them. Still, they’d talked every day and texted in between times. He’d thought that they were building a solid foundation for something that had the potential to last.

Running his hands into his hair Quatre blew out a breath and forced himself to focus on the moment. This was a disagreement, alright a fight, but it didn’t mean that the relationship was coming to an end. He was no more willing to give up on Trowa then he was to give into being wrapped in cotton wool and protected from the world. That didn’t stop it from hurting or make the room feel any warmer. Right about now he would give his last dime and the credit limit on his gold card for another cup of the coffee he had shared with Duo and a chance to redo the conversation with Trowa. Unfortunately the coffee was in the kitchen and he wasn’t quite ready to face Duo let alone Trowa. With a wistful sigh he picked up Trowa’s pillow cuddling it close he snuggled under the covers hoping that when he woke up Trowa would be calmer and they could talk things through. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

Heero shifted in his seat trying to get comfortable. As a general rule he was not particularly fond of flying and doing so in a plane that was packed full did not make it a more pleasant experience. He knew he shouldn’t complain, considering it was the end of the semester and Christmas was fast approaching they were lucky to get seats at all. At least they were in first class instead of trapped in the back of the plane. It was a small thing, but it went a long way to making the trip more bearable. 

Wufei was two rows behind him and Relena had managed to charm his seat mate into trading with her. Some days Heero swore that his cousin would make a great con man. Whatever her moral proclivities it didn’t stop her from falling asleep on Wufei’s shoulder as soon as the plane was in the air. For his part Wufei had a thick paperback in his hand and seemed deeply engrossed in it. If it hadn’t been for the regular page turning Heero would have been sure that his friend was sleeping with his eyes open using the book as a cover. 

The seat next to Heero was occupied by an older woman who had introduced herself then settled down to work on a blanket she was knitting. In the first hour of the flight she had explained that she was heading to California to see her first grandchild and the blanket was a present. She had planned to have it done before the baby was born but he decided to show up a few weeks early. That had led to a dissertation on the type of wool she was using as well as the stitch and the reasoning for the pattern. Heero had been polite, nodding at the right places, but eventually his lack of interest began to register and the woman had struck up a conversation with the young couple across the aisle leaving Heero to his thoughts. 

What he really wanted more than anything was something to occupy both his hands and his mind. Under other circumstances he would have used the time to clean and calibrate his equipment, but it were packed away in the baggage compartment under the plane. This left him feeling on edge and he was extremely uncomfortable with that. The intellectual side of his brain ticked off the reasons for his reaction, the impending reunion with Duo, facing Quatre’s displeasure, and of course the investigation which while it was unsettling had very little to do with his state of mind.

Quatre would understand, he might not be happy about the situation, but he would understand. If Duo had explained things, and Heero did not doubt he had, then a simple apology and statement of his view point should be enough to mend any bridges. Removing that as the source of concern lead to only logical conclusion that his nervous state had to be a result of the knowledge he would be seeing Duo again soon. However, he didn’t remember having that kind of a reaction the last time they were together. 

Staring out the window, oblivious to the scenery, Heero considered this new twist. It was possible that he had not noticed before because he was home and there fore had things to occupy his time prior to the visit. Or perhaps it was because there was no one to talk to and redirect his thoughts. However, what he kept coming back to was the time they had spent together at Thanksgiving. Over the course of those four days their relationship had grown in ways he had not anticipated. Spending time with each other even if it was doing something as simple as sharing a meal had reaffirmed Heero’s attraction to and interest in Duo. Could it be, Heero wondered, that he was falling in love? 

While somewhat unexpected the thought was not unwelcome. The fact that he was more excited about seeing Duo then disappointed in missing the Yuy family Christmas party spoken volumes that Heero could not just ignore. Testing the waters he whispered “I love Duo Maxwell” under his breath. There was a ring of truth that Heero could not deny. Nor could he ignore the flare of warmth that came with them. Confident that he had determined the source of his discomfort Heero relaxed back as far as his seat would allow. He would make sure to share this information with Duo as soon as the opportunity presented itself. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

“I’m sorry.” Trowa eased away from a door a little, but kept his distance from the bed where Quatre sat. “I was an ass.” 

“Yes you were.” Quatre smiled slightly to soften the sting of his words. Patting the bed next to him he gestured for Trowa to join him. “I appreciate your concern, I really do. But this is what I do, Trowa. I won’t stop just because someone else thinks I should.” 

Trowa nodded, sitting on the edge of the bed with a sigh. “I know it is. I don’t want you to stop I just don’t understand why you would want to go back and face that thing again.” The fall of hair and the tilt of his head hid his eyes, but the sadness and fear that painted his words was painfully clear. 

“If I walk away this time then it will be easier the next time. Pretty soon I’ll get used to avoiding anything that upsets me.” Quatre shifted under the covers moving closer so he could take Trowa in his arms. “Sometimes having this gift makes me a target, but I refuse to let it make me a coward too.” 

Trowa pulled back, his forehead wrinkled in confusion and surprise. “You are the bravest person I’ve ever met, Quat.” 

“Oh, Trowa, you have no idea.” Quatre pulled his lover close and leaned his head so it rested on Trowa’s shoulder. “I’m afraid of so many things.” 

“Like what?” With one hand Trowa cradled Quatre’s head and with other he stroked up and down his back in comforting circles. 

“That thing I saw last night for one. It scared the hell out of me.” Quatre leaned into Trowa’s touch and sighed as his tense muscles began to relax. “I’m afraid of losing the people I care about, of not being good enough to follow in my father’s footsteps, of being a disappointment to everyone.” His speech slowed bringing the volume down to match the speed. “Of killing someone else the way I did my mother.” 

“That wasn’t your fault.” Trowa shifted, cupping Quatre’s face in his hands then kissed him softly. “You didn’t have any control over what happened when you were born.” Pulling Quatre close again Trowa rested his head on Quatre’s savoring the closeness. “You’ll be careful.” It was more of a statement than a question, but Trowa was careful to coach it terms that made it a request instead of a demand.

“Of course.” Quatre let his smile color his words before he kissed Trowa gently on the lips. “I have too much to lose to do anything else.” 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Wufei stood back from the others giving them room to load the bags into the rear of the SUV. From this vantage point he was able to see his friends and watched how they interacted. Though both couples had gotten together at the same time the differences between them was like night and day. Heero had greeted his boyfriend with a hug that lingered followed by a quick kiss before pulling away to pick up several of the bags gathered around his feet. Trowa and Quatre on the other hand appeared to be attached by an invisible cord that kept them within arm’s reach at all times. Even loaded down with luggage they managed to shift things enough to hold hands and steal the occasional kiss. 

Arms encircled his waist and he felt Relena snuggle up close to him. “Penny for your thoughts and your body heat.” 

Chuckling, Wufei unzipped his jacket and pulled her close stretching the sides of his coat as far around her as they would reach. “This is your penance for not believing that it gets cold in the desert.” 

Relena shrugged, slipping her arms back around Wufei underneath his jacket. “I brought my heavy coat; I just didn’t want to have to drag it with me on plane.” 

“You thought you would steal mine instead?” Wufei arched an eyebrow in disapproval though it was belied by the smile tugging at his lips.

“Of course, you are my boyfriend after all.” She grinned then stretched up to kiss him softly on the neck. “I’ll make it up to you later.” 

“I wouldn’t say no to that.” Wufei returned the kiss then pulled away as he noted the last of the bags were loaded and Duo was unlocking the passenger side of the vehicle. Still holding Relena close he shuffled over to where they could climb in. 

Once they were seated in the back Wufei shrugged out of his jacket and settled it around Relena’s shoulders before buckling his seat belt. “You’re not cold?” Relena rested her head on his shoulder barely covering her mouth as a yawn escaped. 

“Quatre will turn the heat on as soon as we get going. He has no endurance when it comes to the cold.” 

“True.” 

Leaning back Wufei stretched his legs out in front of him absently stroking Relena’s hair as he studied his fellow passengers. In the seat in front of him Heero and Duo talked quietly, heads together as Heero’s arm rested lightly around Duo’s shoulders. Duo’s hands moved in quick animated gestures while Heero nodded or spoke the occasional word in response. Looking past them towards the front Wufei’s gaze caught Quatre’s in the rear view mirror and they shared a look. While Quatre might not be happy about the circumstances that had necessitated the visit he was always glad when he was surrounded by friends.


	4. Chapter 4

Tucson, Arizona, Thursday, December 15th, 2006.

 

It was the smell of breakfast that woke Quatre, much like his first morning five months ago at the bed and breakfast. Throwing on a pair of sweats, a t-shirt and heavy socks he headed for the kitchen, his mouth already watering at the thought of food. The others were already at the table, various amounts plate showing around their meals. Grinning sheepishly at the range of amused smiles that greeted him, Quatre slid into the only empty spot and greeted his friends. 

He was barely seated before Trowa came through the kitchen door carrying a tray loaded with a plate, a cup, a steaming thermos of coffee and a single rose in a vase. Spotting Quatre he smiled and pushed back through the door returning with just the plate and a filled mug in his hands. He set them down in front of Quatre before settling back into his seat. “I was going to bring you a tray so you could sleep a little longer. You seemed tired this morning.” 

Ignoring the snickers, Quatre smiled then pulled Trowa close for a lingering kiss. “Thank you, but I’m awake now and we need to figure out what we are going to do today.” 

“I’ve been thinking about that.” Duo set down his coffee cup and leaned forward. “Tro and I met this guy when we were working on the Dillinger exhibit who knows all about the history of this town. He collects ghost stories and legends so I thought I’d give him a call and see if he’s willing to get together for lunch or something and let Heero and I pick his brain.” 

Quatre nodded enthusiastically and washed down what he was chewing with a swallow of coffee. “That would be great. I was planning to go talk to the manager of the hotel and see if he is willing to let us take some readings and check things out.” He turned to Relena and smiled. “Would you mind coming with me? The two of us should be able to come up with a good argument between us.” 

Relena considered for a minute then nodded. “I don’t have anything really dressy with me, but I should be able to come up with something that won’t look too bad.” 

“You always look beautiful no matter what you wear.” Wufei leaned over to kiss her cheek while giving Quatre the eye. 

Relena returned the kiss, slipping her hand into Wufei’s “That almost makes up for the fact that you never make me breakfast in bed.” She smirked at Trowa who saluted her with his coffee cup.

“Since you are stealing my girlfriend away for the day what would you like me to do to entertain myself?” Wufei finished his juice and pushed his plate towards the center of the table. 

“Trowa will be here to keep you company so I consider that a fair trade off.” Quatre gave his boyfriend a side ways smile then returned his attention to Wufei. “I started doing some research online yesterday but I didn’t get very far. If you could pick up that as well as log in the foundation database and see if you can find anything there that would be a big help. I’ll email you what I have and where I looked so we aren’t duplicating efforts.” 

“I can do that though I disagree about the trade off being fair.” Wufei squeezed Relena’s hand then let go so he could drape his arm across the back of her chair. 

Quatre smiled warmth and affection shining in his eyes. “We’ll have to agree to disagree on that. No offense, Relena.” 

She returned the smile relaxing back against Wufei. “None taken, I will let you buy me lunch to soothe my poor bruised ego though.”

“Now, that I will happily agree to.” 

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Thanks Mark. We’ll see you then.” Duo snapped the cell phone in his hand shut and dropped down on the bed next to where Heero was seated. “He’s willing to meet us for around eleven thirty. He’s got a lecture to do at one, but that should give us enough time to figure out if he knows anything useful.” 

Heero nodded agreement plain on his face. “Local folklore will presumably give us some directions to pursue.” 

“That’s what I thought.” Duo sighed and took Heero’s hand in his. “This is tourist season and the hotel is probably booked solid. I doubt they are going to let you guys do anything. Especially if they think it will give them bad publicity. Ghosts might bring in more customers but weird things crawling on the ceiling that attack people aren’t likely to” 

“We can be discreet.” Heero rubbed his thumb over the top of Duo’s hand and smiled. “My reasons for undertaking this trip are two fold. One, of course was to assess the situation at the hotel and any possible ramifications for Quatre. Both Wufei and Mr. Winner were concerned which causes me distress as well.” 

“I can understand that. It was some freaky shit.” Duo’s voice softened and he leaned in to rest lightly against Heero. “What was the other reason?” 

Heero could feel his cheeks heating up and he ducked his head before raising it to meet Duo’s eyes straight on. “I was hoping to be able to spend time with you.”

“I was hoping that was what your somewhat cryptic message to Quatre meant.” 

“It was. I will admit that I’m curious about this entity, but more than that I wanted a reason to come see you.” Heero blinked, his eyes not leaving Duo’s face. “You aren’t upset by the intrusion are you?” 

“Of course not!” Duo leaned in and kissed Heero enthusiastically. “I was really missing you especially once Quatre got here and he and Trowa were all over each other.” 

Heero chuckled. “So I saw. Quatre is physically affectionate to the extreme and Trowa seems to be the same way.” 

“Not with most people, but he seems to be willing to make an exception for Quatre.” 

“That shows how deeply he cares for Quatre.” Heero didn’t attempt to hide the happiness in his voice. “He has the personality that Quatre needs.” 

“What about you? What do you need?” 

“Gadgets, good coffee, and a state of the art computer.” Heero smiled letting Duo know that he understood the deeper meaning of the question being asked.

“In a relationship?” Duo grinned and waggled his eyebrows. “That’s kinky.” 

“That’s a different question.” Heero frowned, speaking slowly as if weighing each word before he spoke it. “I’ve thought about this quite a bit over the course of the past few years though I’ve learned that making a list of qualities I prefer does not begin to help with who I want to be in a relationship with.” Duo nodded, letting his silence encourage Heero to continue speaking. “Factoring in qualities that I can not accept still does not begin to explore the ways in which a whole person is a combination of those and other things that are innately part a base personality.” 

“Where does that leave you?” Duo’s voice was soft letting Heero take the time he needed to lead up to the point he was trying to make. 

“With the knowledge that some things require a leap of faith because they can not be approached from a rational perspective.” He paused wrapping his arms loosely around Duo and pulled him close. “Also with the understanding that the question I need to ask is not what, but who I want.” 

“Oh?”

Heero nodded and reached up to brush Duo’s bangs out of his eyes. “I believe the answer is you.” He smiled and took a deep breath watching Duo’s face careful before adding. “I love you.” 

Duo grinned then leaned forward to rest his forehead against Heero’s. “I know, I love you too.” 

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Teach me to do what you do.” There was a pause and then “please” which was no less sincere for being tacked on as an after thought. 

Wufei looked up from where he was scrolling through the foundation database in hopes of matching the description Quatre had given him the entity he saw with something previously encountered by one of the paranormal investigations teams. “Which thing is that? I have quite a few talents or so I’ve been told. Some of them are reserved exclusively for Relena’s enjoyment.” 

Trowa snorted, amusement easing some of the tension on his face. “I know how to do _those_ things already. I want to learn how to do the guide thing that you do for Quatre. He scared me the other day and I didn’t know what to do to help him.” 

Wufei studied Trowa’s face noting the self loathing, anger, frustration and fear he had felt more than once from being in a similar situation. “That is not a bad idea now that you mention it. The problem is I can only teach you a little. If you’re serious about this and really want to know what to do you need to come spend some time with Rashid. He’s the one who taught me.” 

Trowa considered this while lowering himself in the chair next to where Wufei was sitting. “You make it seem easy.”

Carefully Wufei lowered the lid on the laptop and sat it on the floor next to his feet. “It’s not, but Quatre and I have known each other since I was born. We’ve been working together as sensitive and guide since middle school. A lot of what you see is just mutual experience and trust.”

“Oh,” Trowa rubbed at a worn spot on the knee of his jeans. “Do you think..?” He left the thought unfinished, speaking the question with his eyes for fear of putting it into words and being shot down. 

“Quatre already trusts you and feels safe when he is with you which are the big hurdles to get over. From what I’ve seen you’re bright enough to understand the concepts though you might have some difficulty with learning to let yourself be completely open. The question, at least for me, is if you are planning to stick around for the long haul? This is not a quick or simple process. It takes a lot of practice and learning to work together as a team. Quatre and I butted heads a lot when we first started.”

“I’m committed to Quatre. To be whatever it is he needs me to be.” 

Wufei smiled, softening the often severe tone of his expression. “I’ll give you Rashid’s number and you can call him once we’ve done what I can. He loves Quatre like a son so if you are truly committed to him you’ll want his blessing anyway. There is however something I want in return.” 

Trowa tensed the lines of a frown drawing his brows together. “I don’t have a lot of money, but I’ll pay whatever it costs.” 

Shaking his head Wufei waved away Trowa’s statement. “Money is not the issue here. Tomorrow morning I want you to help me make breakfast for Relena so I can serve it to her in bed. It is clearly something that she wants so she should have it.” 

Trowa blinked not hiding his surprise as he mentally reassessed the man that was Quatre’s closet friend. Taking in Wufei’s determined expression that was balanced by the slight blush on his cheeks, Trowa nodded slowly giving his assent. “Make me a menu and I’ll check to see if we need anything.” 

“Thank you.” 

“No,” Trowa reached out a hand hesitantly then smiled when Wufei took it, shaking on the deal as well as the beginning of a tentative friendship. “Thank you.” 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The café was mostly full when Duo and Heero pushed through the doors with five minutes to spare. Parking had been better than expected with a good number of the university students having already abandoned the University for winter break. It left just the artisans and the tourists to fight for one of the few parking spots that did not require feeding a meter. Fortunately the bite in the air had thinned them out leaving spaces to choose from instead of the usual battle to be the first to claim whatever opened up.

Inside was warm if on the small side with tables occupying half of the building while the other was taken up by a counter and shelves filled with bulk candies and southwestern themed knickknacks. Leading Heero to the counter by their entwined hands Duo waited for his boyfriend to order before doing the same. There was a brief tussle over who was going to pay the check before Heero reminded Duo that they were on business for the foundation so it should included in his expense account. Several minutes later with their meals in hand they threaded their way through the diners to triumphantly claim the last empty table. 

“Duo?” 

Duo looked up from his tortilla soup and grinned. “Mark! Grab a seat and join us.” 

Setting his soup and baguette down then adding a cup of coffee, Mark relieved himself of the messenger bag he wore by hanging it over the edge of the chair back. It was joined by his dark blue pea coat before he lowered himself into the chair. Once he was seated he grinned first at Duo then turned to study Heero offering his hand as he did so. “You must be the boyfriend.” 

Heero nodded taking Mark’s hand and shaking. “Heero Yuy.” 

“Nice to meet you, Heero. Are you enjoying your visit to the Old Pueblo?” Mark’s long thin fingers were already tearing off a piece of bread as he spoke in anticipation of diving into his lunch.

“Yes, so far it has been very pleasant.” Heero’s eyes searched out Duo’s across the table and held them for a moment as a smile curved the corners of his lips. “Thank you for asking.” 

“Handsome and good manners, you’ve got quite the catch here, Duo. Hold onto this guy.” 

Duo chuckled and took a drink of his coffee. “I plan to.” 

“I understand you wanted to pick my brain for some local lore.” Mark popped the bread into his mouth and chewed it, swallowing quickly. “I’ll be happy to tell you what I know. Hopefully it will help.” 

“Thank you.” Heero set down his spoon and reached for his cup. “Two days ago a friend of mine was attending an event at the Tucson Inn and observed what he described as a humanoid entity, solid black with burning eyes that crawled across the walls.” 

Mark blew on his spoon then sipped the still warm liquid from it. When he spoke his voice was more subdued than it had been previously. “Is your friend okay?” 

“I believe so, yes.” 

Heero’s gaze flicked to Duo who nodded in agreement then added. “It scared the piss out of him, but that was about it. Why?”

“In 2000 a man who was working at the Tucson Inn as a security guard kept complaining that there was something following and spying on him. He claimed he was hearing noises and seeing something that looked like a shadow on the wall. In late spring of that year, April or May, he had a break down. The desk clerk heard him screaming into his radio that he was being attacked and when they found him he was huddled up in a corner of the ballroom begging for help. He had to be removed by EMTs in an ambulance. He kept fighting them and screaming the whole time. Once they got him out of the building he stopped and went basically comatose. He ended up in ASH since the hospital couldn’t do anything for him. I’d heard he died there a year or so ago.

“ASH?” Heero frowned letting his eyes ask the question. 

“Arizona State Hospital, it’s the state mental hospital up in Phoenix.” Heero nodded his acknowledgement and understanding encouraging Mark to continue. “The same night the manager at the time fell down the stairs in the lobby. At first he said that he was pushed, but then he changed his story. It’s pretty much assumed that he was pressured to do so by his higher ups especially since he quit six months later and moved back east somewhere. No one seems to know for sure. There’ve been other sightings too, mostly in the ballroom and the upper halls. There have been reports from guests, mostly single women, of seeing it crawling across the ceiling of their rooms.” Mark paused to take another bite chewing slowly to let his companions process what he had told them. 

“That is some seriously freaky shit.” Duo’s gaze flicked to Heero who shook his head slightly. “What the hell is that thing?” 

“No one knows for sure. There are theories that it is tied to El Tiridito and an old legend about a Native American man who was tortured and killed by his tribe for committing multiple rapes. The story has it that he was evil and his spirit stained the ground where he died. The story dates back from before the Spanish came into this area so how true it is I couldn’t say. Everyone I talked to has heard some variation on it, but no one could say where exactly it came from or if it has any truth to it.” 

Heero nodded filing the information away so that he could write it down later. “What is El Tiridito?” 

“It’s a shrine, though not the usual kind you find around here. It is dedicated to sinner buried in unconsecrated ground which is weird enough, but the really unusual thing is that there are multiple variations on the story and no non-antidotal basis for any of them. I have heard that a pair of lovers was caught in the act of cheating and the man was killed by the woman’s husband in a fit of jealous rage. I’ve also heard that they were not lovers, but the husband killed the other man anyway because he was jealous and abusive. The most unusual one of the bunch was that a man stumbled upon his married lover being raped and was killed trying to protect her.” 

“That would make a connection to the earlier story if there was in fact one to make.” Heero frowned then shook his head. “However, assuming the two are related could create a bias in further research.” 

“Exactly.” Mark twisted in his chair and pulled his messenger bag around so that he could open the outer flap. He rummaged in the main pocket for a moment before pulling out a book. Closing the flap of the bag he turned to Duo and handed him the book. “I remembered a copy like I promised.” Mark grinned, obviously pleased that his memory hadn’t failed him. 

The cover was a picture of the Tucson skyline with the words ‘Haunted Tucson’ embossed on it in white letters. “There is a chapter on El Tiridito and another one that talks about Tucson Inn.” 

“Did you write this?” Heero took the book from Duo, noting the name ‘Mark Paulson’ in smaller letter at the bottom of the cover.

“Yeah.” Mark grinned, his cheeks reddening a little. “I got a bunch of copies to give away so that one is yours to keep.”

“Thank you.” Heero’s smile was small, but genuine. “This could be quite helpful.” 

“No problem.” Mark grinned back. “Any friend of Duo’s is a friend of mine. I might ask you to do an interview for the sequel if that’s okay.”

“Of course.” Heero opened his wallet, removed a business card and held it out to Mark. “You can contact me at any of those numbers.” 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Thank you for seeing us on such short notice, Mr. Ruiz.” Quatre smiled and shook the proffered hand of the large balding man who had risen to stand behind his desk. “This is my associate Miss. Darlian.” 

“It’s my pleasure. Please, have a seat.” Mr. Ruiz gestured to the plush chairs artfully arranged to make the desk, and by extension the man behind it, the focal point of the room. “On the phone you mentioned wanting to rent out the ballroom is that correct?” 

Quatre smiled again and crossed his legs. Swinging his foot slightly to draw attention to the expensive Italian loafers he wore and cleared his throat. “That is correct.”

Mr. Ruiz pulled his calendar towards him and began flipping through the pages. “Do you have a date? I’m afraid this is our busy season and we’re booked quite a ways out.” 

“We’d like to get in as soon as possible. Tomorrow would be best if there is an opening of any kind. We are, of course, willing to work around your other bookings.” 

Leaning back in his chair Mr. Ruiz studied Quatre over the top of his glasses. “Perhaps if you told me what you want the room for I might be able to arrange something.” His eyes flashed back and forth between Quatre and Relena then dropped to check her stomach with a knowing smile. 

“As I mentioned on the phone I was here the other night attending an event.” Quatre paused choosing his words carefully. “What I failed to mention was that at that time I encountered something quite unusual. I believe it was an entity of some kind and I would like to investigate further.” 

“I’m sorry.” The jovial smile on Mr. Ruiz’s face disappeared, replaced by a closed and shuttered look. “I’m not sure I understand. What do you mean by an entity?” 

“It was black and humanoid in shape and crawled on the walls.” Quatre leaned forward slightly holding the other man’s eyes despite the growing discomfort he saw there. 

“I have no idea what you are talking about.” Mr. Ruiz pushed back from his desk in anticipation of rising. 

“I saw it with my own eyes, Mr. Ruiz.” Quatre’s voice was calm and steady. “And I want to rent your ballroom to do a complete investigation of this thing. Winner Foundation Paranormal Investigations is willing to pay for the rental and we are capable of being extremely discrete. We can do it in the middle of the night if you prefer. It would only be a matter of three hours at the most when the ballroom would otherwise be unoccupied anyway.” Quatre took a business card out of his pocket and offered it to Mr. Ruiz. When the man failed to take it he set it down on the still open calendar. 

“I’m sorry; we are fully booked from now until the end of May.” Mr. Ruiz closed his calendar with Quatre’s card still inside it. Rising from his chair he made his way around the desk and over to the door. With one hand he held it open and with the other he gestured for them to leave. “Thank you for your interest, Mr. Winner, Miss Darlian. I’m sorry we will not able to accommodate you.” 

“Thank you for your time.” Quatre rose, gesturing to Relena to do the same. 

“It was a pleasure to meet you.” She smiled, barely clearing the doorway before the heavy wooden door was closed firmly behind her. Giving the door a look of scornful displeasure she turned and made her way across the lobby with Quatre trailing thoughtfully behind her. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The sun was setting when Cathy’s cab let her off at the curb in front of The Hideout. Hoisting her bag onto one shoulder and her carry on onto the other she made her way up to the front door. The knob turned easily under her hand and she stepped inside to the welcome warmth of the bed and breakfast. With a contented sigh she set down her luggage and looked around. Not much had changed since the last time she’d visited and the sense of familiarity added to belief that she had made a good decision to come. 

Several laptops were scattered around the room as were a variety of fiction and non fiction books. The place, as always, felt homey and warm in a way that nothing to do with the temperature. From down the hall she could smell dinner and hear the sounds of muted conversation. Clearing her throat she called out in a voice that she knew would easily project to the dining room. “Tro~wa I’m ho~me.” 

There was a moment of complete silence followed almost immediately by the sounds of chairs scraping on the floor and running footsteps in the hallway. Before she had a chance to get a good look at him Trowa was there to sweep her up in his arms leaving her feet dangling just off of the floor. Grinning happily she mimicked him and buried her face into the hollow where shoulder and neck met, holding on for dear life. There were no words exchanged, but none were needed nor could they adequately express the joy both felt at being reunited. 

From somewhere off to her right Cathy heard Duo’s voice above the general murmur of conversation. “Way to be greedy Tro, let the rest of us have a chance too.” She felt the rumble of suppressed laughter pass through Trowa as he set her down, reluctantly releasing her. Another pair of arms wrapped around her before she had a chance to catch her breath and she inhaled the familiar scent of Duo’s cologne. “Why didn’t you call? We would have picked you up at the airport.” 

Cathy pulled away to give Trowa a pointed look. “I did call and text, but _someone_ never checks his phone. 

Looking surprised and suitably chastised Trowa pulled his phone from his pocket and checked it. Seeing the number of missed calls and unopened text messages he frowned before he registered that it was in silent mode. “Shit! I turned the ringer off when we went to that dinner and I never turned it back on. I’m sorry, Cathy.” 

Her annoyance melted under the pressure of Trowa’s genuine remorse. “It was very last minute change of plans. I was kind of surprised that there were even any seats left.” She hugged Trowa again quick to ease the guilt she could see in his eyes. “You can make it up to me by introducing everyone and making me breakfast tomorrow. I’ve missed your omelets.” 

Trowa nodded, looking pleased, then gestured to each person as he said their names. “This is Heero, Wufei, Relena and Quatre.” Trowa’s eyes and voice lingered on the final name eliciting a slight blush from his boyfriend. 

“I’m glad to meet you.” Cathy nodded and smiled at each person in turn. “I’ve heard so much about all of you.” Giving Duo then Trowa another brief hug she moved around her brother so that she was standing in front of Quatre. The look she gave him was equal parts kind and appraising though in no way subtle. “You are as handsome as Trowa said, though the picture he sent me didn’t do you justice at all.” 

“Thank you.” Quatre’s blush darkened and he sent a glare towards Wufei’s who’s smirk was about to take on a life of its own. “That is very kind of you to say.” 

“It’s true.” Cathy stepped in closer and threaded her arm through Quatre’s. “We have so much catching up to do, but first, dinner. I’m starved.” Gently, but firmly she headed toward the dining room taking Quatre with her while pointedly ignoring both Duo’s shout of laughter and Trowa’s embarrassed groan. 

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“I’ve wanted to meet you since Trowa first told me you were dating.” Cathy slipped a pile of shirts into a drawer and closed it with the efficient movements of someone who is used to unpacking. “He’s never talked to me about his love life before. I know he had one because of some of the things that Duo said, but he would never tell me anything even when I asked.” Shoving her now empty bag under the bed with one practiced motion she plopped down on the bed next to Quatre. “That means you’re someone special. And anyone who is special to Trowa is special to me.” 

She paused to take a breath giving Quatre a chance to cut into what had been a steady stream of words since she had pulled him, unresisting, away from the dinner table. “I think he’s special too.” 

“Good.” For the space of a moment Quatre saw something dark and primal flash in her eyes and made a note to avoid pissing her off if at all possible. “He’s my baby brother and I’m a little protective of him.” 

“So he has said.” Quatre’s voice was light, bringing a more playful feeling back to the conversation. “He’s the same with you from what Duo tells me.” 

Cathy chuckled, pulling her legs up so she was sitting cross legged facing Quatre. “You’ve heard the story of how they met?” 

“Duo told me the first time we were here.” Quatre frowned, remembering. “He wanted me to understand why Trowa bit my head off when I asked him about his family.”

Cathy smiled affectionately. “Duo is a good friend and he is good at being a buffer for Trowa when he needs it. Especially when Trowa doesn’t think he does.” She chuckled again, making her cinnamon brown curls bounce. “Did Duo ever tell you about the time that they almost got arrested for drag racing?” 

“No, please share.” Quatre made a mental note that he needed to arrange for Cathy to have some time with Heero as well so that he could hear some of Duo’s boyhood escapades too. 

“He and Trowa were both eighteen and they decided to cruise Speedway to show off the car that Howard had helped them build. They had gone up and down a couple of times before this guy and his girlfriend pulled up next to them and gunned the engine. You know Duo; he revved his back, of course. The light turned green and they both took off, right past a cop who just happened to be sitting on the other side of the intersection.” Cathy paused, eyes twinkling, to let the suspense build. 

“What happened?” Quatre knew she had set him up to make him ask for more and the knowledge added to his appreciation of her story telling abilities without dampening his desire to know the outcome. 

“The cop pulled them over and read Duo the riot act. He was all set to arrest him when he recognized Trowa from the Sidewinders. It turned out the guy was a big baseball fan. Trowa gave him an autographed baseball and he let them off with a warning.” 

“Is that why Duo teases him about being semi-famous?” 

“He started that in high school when the baseball team went to state. He said it was his job to keep Trowa from getting a big head.” Cathy shook her head laughter bubbling out at the memory. “Trowa told him it took one to know one and they ended up bickering about it for the whole day.” 

Quatre joined in the laughter having no difficulty imagining the scene after spending time with the two of them. “I can just picture that.” 

“You have an honest laugh.” Cathy’s voice softened startling Quatre into swallowing his mirth. “Trowa needs someone who knows how to laugh and isn’t afraid to.” She smiled reaching out to touch Quatre’s hand. “There is so much love and joy in him you know. He’s just afraid of letting anyone close.” 

“I know.” Quatre turned his hand so the palm was facing up allowing him to entwine his fingers with hers. Carefully he squeezed them before letting go. “We understand each other on that.”

“Do you love him?” 

The question startled Quatre though he had been expecting it. He pursed his lips then nodded slowly. “Yes, I think I do. We haven’t been together that long, but being with him feels right.” 

“Good answer!” Cathy flashed him a smile carried enough wattage to light the entire city. “I think we are going to get along.” 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Heero retrieved his copy of ‘Haunted Places of Tucson’ from the coffee table and opened it to the bookmarked page. With a sigh of contentment he settled back into the cushions of the couch and leaned into Duo who had a spreadsheet program open on his laptop that he was frowning over. Dinner was finished and the dishwasher was loaded. Trowa and Wufei had disappeared to work on meditation techniques. Cathy had drug Quatre off to help her unpack and Relena had returned to her room stating she had photos that needed editing.

Having already finished the chapter on El Tiridito Heero flipped through the book looking for the one that included information on the Tucson Inn. He was several pages in, concentrating intently, when the sound of Duo’s phone pulled him back to reality. 

Noting the surprised look as Duo flipped open his phone, Heero set aside all premise that he was not listening. 

“Hey, Mark.” Duo’s voice was friendly if somewhat cautious. He listened for a minute then nodded even though the man on the other side of the phone couldn’t see it. “Heero’s reading it now.” There was another pause that was punctuated with Duo’s expanding grin. “That’s great. Thanks. Just let me get a pen.” 

Without being asked Heero got up and crossed to the desk that dominated one corner of the room. He pulled a pen from a mug full of them and picked up small legal pad with a blank top sheet. Returning to his seat he accepted Duo’s smile of appreciation. 

“Okay, got it. Go ahead.” Duo scribbled a name and phone number then handed the pad to Heero. “Thanks again. I owe you one.” There was silence and Duo’s smile morphed into a smirk then a rumbling laugh. “You got it. Give me a ring after the holidays and we’ll set up a time.” Snapping his phone shut Duo laid it back on the coffee table. “That was Mark.” 

“So I guessed.” 

“Remember the security guard he told us about?” 

Heero nodded. “Yes.” 

“That,” Duo pointed to the tablet in Heero’s hand, “is the name and number of his daughter. Mark called her and she is willing to talk to someone about her dad.”

“That is very helpful.” Heero cleared his throat studying Duo. Wanting to know what had been promised but unwilling to pry. 

“Mark and his girlfriend just had a baby last month and he wants me to do a portrait of her for his mom’s birthday. Cool huh?” 

“Yes.” Heero pushed away the groundless feeling of jealousy that had surged through him a moment before letting just the pride he felt show through. “That is very cool.” 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“More coffee?” Duo raised the glass carafe as he entered the dining room. 

“Please.” Quatre smiled his appreciation then returned to the notes he was writing on the top page of a legal pad. “Relena and I hit a brick wall with the hotel. The manager clearly knew what we were talking about and refused to acknowledge it or give us permission to do any kind of a formal investigation.” He turned to Relena who nodded her agreement. 

“He was very pleasant until he knew what we wanted the room for. Once he found out he couldn’t get us out of his office quick enough.” 

Heero frowned. “That seems excessive given that the story appears to be well known and documented. Mark describes it in his book along with excerpts from several newspaper articles and references to other books on the history of Tucson.” 

Wufei nodded his agreement. “The foundation database mentions this incident along with other articles and eyewitness accounts of dark spots in other places downtown. None of them have been formally investigated even though there are pending requests.” 

“Liability.” Slipping into his seat Duo refilled his coffee mug and took a drink. “Mark said the guy was hospitalized in 2000 so the family still has another year or so to file a lawsuit. If you go in and confirm there is something weird going on that gives them a case for negligence.” 

Quatre blinked then grimaced. “Why didn’t I think of that? It is basic business strategy to protect your assets.” 

Duo grinned then winked. “Tro and I just paid our insurance the other day. The bill is still sitting on my desk.” 

“Working under that assumption there is no way we will be able to get into the building to any kind of investigation for the next twenty four to forty eight months.” Quatre tapped his pen on the pad, the gears of his brain turning visibly. “What else do we have that we can follow up with at this point?” 

“Mrs. Ortiz, the guard’s daughter has agreed to an interview and the shrine that Mark mentioned as possibly being connected.” 

“Not a lot, but at least it is a start.” Quatre made a note on his pad then looked up. “Heero and I will go talk to Mrs. Ortiz. If she will agree to it I’d like the interview recorded and documented so that we have it to work from in the future.” 

“I’ll double check my equipment and make sure it is ready.” 

“Wufei, you and Relena check out the shrine.” Quatre glanced at his notes and frowned. “El Tiridito is the name of it. Get as many stills as possible so we can recreate it digitally later if needed. Try to get a sense of the place and if you feel it is worth it then you and Heero can go back and do a video recording and take measurements as well.” 

“We’ll do that first thing in the morning.” He glanced at Relena who nodded in agreement. 

“I think that is it then. Once we follow up these leads we can talk about what else, if anything, there is left to do.”


	5. Chapter 5

Tucson, Arizona, Friday, December 16th, 2006.

 

“The secret to making eggs fluffy is air.” Wufei nodded, watching as Trowa expertly whipped together three eggs and dribble of heavy cream. “The more foam in the bowl when you put them in the pan the fluffier they will be when they cook.” Trowa handed the bowl to Wufei and set a skillet on the stove. Butter was added before Trowa turned back to his new assistant. “Making good eggs takes strong arms and wrists.” He raised an eyebrow at Wufei’s smirk then returned it in kind. “Why do you think the best chefs are men?”

Wufei chuckled, handing the bowl back to Trowa when he reached for it. “I hadn’t really thought about it.” 

“The muffins should be cool enough now. Just turn the pan over and dump them onto the rack. If any of them stick then run a knife under the top and they should come right off.” 

Wufei did as he was told, arranging the still warm pastries right side up in a neat row. Looking over them he took the two that looked the best and placed them on the plates next to the orange slices and bacon that were already there. At the stove Trowa’s spatula was in perpetual motion, breaking up the clumps of egg as it cooked.

“You want to make sure the eggs aren’t runny, but don’t leave them in too long or they’ll get dry and rubbery.” 

“I’m not much of a cook, nor is Relena. Neither of us have had the time or inclination to learn.” The calm tone of Wufei’s voice was in direct contrast with the way that his fingers nervously adjusted and straightened anything within reach. 

“It’s not hard once you get the hang of it. My mom was a great cook and she thought that everyone should know at least the basics. Cathy was never much interested, but I always enjoyed it. I learned a lot from her.” Trowa nudged Wufei with his elbow keeping the steaming skillet to the side until there was room to add eggs to each meal without the danger of burning him. Noting Wufei’s anxious fingers he grinned. “Don’t worry, she’ll like it. This is what I always make Cathy the first morning she visits. Quatre gets an omelet and coffee instead of scrambled eggs and juice, but the rest is the same.”

Wufei moved the now full plate to a lap tray that was already set with silverware wrapped in a cloth napkin, a glass of juice and a single red rose in a vase. “You do realize that you’re spoiling him? He’s insufferable as it is.” A small smile softened the words as he carefully picked up the tray 

“I like spoiling him.” Trowa hoisted his tray and followed Wufei across the kitchen. “It’s only the first morning then he has to get up and eat in the dining room like the rest of us.”

“I believe yesterday was the second morning.” 

“I had finals the day before and he was already up when I got home so it didn't count. He messed up my schedule by coming in early.” 

“Impressive rationalization.” Chuckling, Wufei pushed through the kitchen door into the dining room. “You work hard too. Make sure you remind him of that occasionally.” 

Trowa paused, his hand raised to knock on Cathy’s door. “I don’t have to. He never forgets.” Trowa's eyes dropped but the smile was clearly visible behind his fall of hair. “That's one of the best things about him.” 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Thank you for seeing us especially on such short notice, Mrs. Ortiz.” Quatre sat carefully on the couch, his fingers moving immediately to scratch behind the ears of the large marmalade tabby stretched out on the arm. “Do you have any questions for me before my associate starts the recording?” 

Mrs. Ortiz, a small woman with a worried smile, shook her head. “I think you explained it all already.” 

“Just ignore the cameras.” Quatre shot Heero a look and nodded slightly signaling to start the recording. When the light on the camera directly in front of him went to green he looked away, concentrating on the woman seated across from him. “Could you please state your name, age and address?”

“Aalyiah Marcela Ortiz. Twenty six. 2162 S. Calle Escondia, Tucson, Arizona, 85705.” 

“Thank you.” Quatre smiled, encouraging his subject to relax. “In your own words can you please tell me about the night of April 23rd 2000?” 

Mrs. Ortiz frowned, fingers twisting the material of her dress. “I was in my room studying when the phone rang. Mama answered it and I remember hearing her voice getting louder and louder as she got more upset. I went out to see what was wrong and she told me that papa had been in an accident and a police officer was coming to pick her and take her to the hospital. My brothers were eight and ten so they were already in bed so she told me to take care of them and she would be home when she could. My sister Carmelita was sixteen and she was out at a study group so mama called her and told her to come home and stay with us. It wasn't long, mama was getting her shoes on, before the policeman arrived. Carmelita got home about an hour after that and stayed up waiting until mama called to tell us that papa was alive and they were running tests on him.” 

“Can you describe the kind of accident that your father was involved in?” 

“The people that he worked with said that they found him in a corner screaming for help.” Mrs. Ortiz paused to smooth the wrinkles she had made in her dress. “They thought he had gone crazy. He wasn’t!” She looked up challenging Quatre to disagree with her. “He worked hard to take care of us and never complained about it. He didn’t drink and he never did drugs. They did tests on him when he was in the hospital and they all came back negative.” Her intense gaze softened and she looked away. “He was a good husband and father. He never raised a hand to us and he encouraged my sister and I to go to school instead of getting married young like a lot of the girls we knew.” 

“He sounds like a good man who certainly did not deserve what happened to him.” Quatre’s statement earned him another smile, this one less tentative. “Did your father ever mention seeing, hearing or smelling anything strange when he was working?” 

“He said there was something evil there and that it watched him. I remember him telling me once that it was like a man made out of darkness.” She frowned, the skin on her forehead wrinkling as she concentrated. “I don't remember him saying anything about hearing or smelling strange things. He didn't really talk about it much. I think he was trying to protect us from whatever it was.” 

Swallowing hard Quatre pushed aside the memories of his own experience and forced himself to focus on the interview despite the chills that crawled up his spine. The words of Mrs. Ortiz's father described exactly the thing he had seen. The similarities were reassuring even as the implication filled him with horror. “Was he prone to saying things like that?” 

“No, that's why I remembered it. He believed in God and he went to church every Sunday, but he was never preached or talked about the devil. He used to tell us that everything had to make their own peace with God.”

“Did you ever see the entity that he described?” 

“No. Papa wouldn't let us come see him at work even to visit or bring him dinner like we did when he worked at the grocery store. I remember him and mama fighting about it because papa would have to eat leftovers or sandwiches instead of what we had for dinner.” 

“When was the fight? In relation to the day he was hospitalized.” 

“I think it was not too long after he started working there. Maybe a year or so.” 

“Is there anything else that you think is relevant?” 

“The Doctors tried a lot of different medications on my papa which they said worked for other people who had the same disease he did. None of them did anything to help him at all. He just sat in his chair and stared without talking. They did tests on his brain and took pictures thinking he had a stroke, but they couldn’t find anything wrong.” 

“I’m very sorry for your loss.” Quatre suppressed the urge to shudder shoving down the question of what might have happened to him if Trowa had not been there. “Is there anything that you would like to ask or tell me before we turn off the cameras?”

She shook her head waiting until Heero began removing the cameras from the tripods to pack them away before speaking. “Have you seen this thing? The thing that hurt my papa?” 

Hesitating for the space of a moment Quatre nodded slowly torn between the desire to reassure her and his inherent unwillingness to make a flat statement about something he couldn't verify scientifically. “I saw something a couple of days ago which was very similar to what your father described to you.” 

“Then you don’t think my papa was crazy?” 

Quatre met her eyes unable to look away or douse the flicker of hope he saw there. “No, Mrs. Ortiz, I don’t. I think your father saw something and it scared him so badly he never recovered from it.”

“Gracias. Thank you. It means so much to hear that. I worry that they were right and I will go crazy too someday. Now I know that it does not have to happen.” 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“I like him.” Cathy caught the corner of the sheet and took it around the bed spreading it flat across the mattress before tucking it in. “He has a good heart and he makes you smile.” 

“His heart isn’t the only thing that’s good.” 

“Well, now that I’ve seen him I have to agree he does have a very nice ass and a beautiful smile. In fact he's very easy on the eyes.” She tilted her head, grinning impishly. “I never thought you would end up with a blond though.” 

“I've always liked blonds.” Trowa’s grin turned predatory and paused with the blanket hovering several inches above its destination. “He has a _great_ ass and I love his smile.” 

“I do too.” Cathy tugged gently on the blanket pulling Trowa out of his thoughts and back to the chore at hand. “Especially when he is smiling at you. He just lights up when you're around.” 

Trowa laughed, warm and contentedly as he made quick work of smoothing down the coverlet. “I love him. I think I might be in love with him.” He straightened and met her eyes. “I never wanted to be in a relationship. I had school, gymnastics and this place to keep me busy. I thought it was enough. But now that I have him in my life I know that it wasn't. Being around him makes everything better, more real.”

“Have you told him all this?” She inclined her head to one side studying Trowa’s profile. 

“No.” 

“Why not? He really cares about you, Trowa. “ She smiled gently walking around the now made bed to join her brother. “When he talks about you he gets all dreamy eyed just like you do when you talk about him.” 

“We’ve only known each other a few months, Cathy I don’t want to rush things.” The 'I don't want him to leave me' hung in the air, unspoken but no less solid for it. 

Cathy sighed wrapping an arm around Trowa waist and giving him a quick squeeze. “The feelings are already there, saying the words won’t make it any more real than it already is.” 

“I know.” Trowa hugged her back pulling her close and resting his cheek on the top of her head. “That’s what scares me.” 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Are you sure this is the place?” Relena frowned, taking in the crumbling adobe walls of what appeared to be the remains of a dilapidated old building. The roof had long since disappeared and all that remained were three walls in a rough U shape that was open to the road. 

“According to the GPS this is indeed where we want to be.” Wufei turned off the engine of the rented van and pocketed the keys before opening his door. “If it’s wrong we’ll ask someone at the restaurant next door.” Once out of the van he stopped and sniffed the air taking in the scent of fresh roasted chilies that mixed with the crisp bite of cilantro and habenaro peppers. 

“Okay.” Camera in hand Relena climbed out of the van closing the door behind her. A cold wind blew down the back of her coat eliciting a shiver though it barely stirred the sun baked earth she stood on. The hard packed ground was solid and unyielding underfoot unlike the soft dirt she was familiar with. 

Coming around the van Wufei spotted a sign off to the side and changed course to investigate it. After scanning it he turned back to Relena. “This is indeed El Tiridito.” 

Moving to join him, Relena removed the cap from the end of the camera lens and began taking pictures. Using a grid pattern she shot the sign making sure that each picture overlapped enough to be able to recreate the whole thing in a single panoramic shot later. 

While she meticulously documented the shrine Wufei first read the sign absorbing the information on it before moving on to study the weather worn, but well tended altar. He was no stranger to holy places having visited quite a few in his travels, but this one was different than any he had experienced before. Despite the trappings of faith it had no feeling of warmth or safety. Instead it left him feeling empty and cold inside in a way that the heat from the candles that covered the walls and altar couldn’t begin to touch. The feeling that he was being watched, no studied, made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and he found himself moving to stand behind Relena with the intent of watching her back. 

The light and heat from the candles mixed with the growing internal sense of cold created a sense of disorientation that made Wufei’s head swim. Reluctantly he moved towards the entrance to the shrine, putting some distance between him and the altar. Dead leaves danced on the sidewalk as the wind pushed them yet the flames of the candles never flickered. From his position outside the entrance Wufei studied the side walls noting that neither of them was high enough to block the wind that was now tugging at his ponytail in a less than playful manner. 

“Relena?” He called her name softly wanting her attention without disturbing her concentration. “When you’re finished I have a couple of pictures I’d like for you to take.” 

“Okay. Since you made me breakfast in bed.” The genuine warmth of her words wrapped themselves around him dispelling the empty feeling in the pit of his stomach and restoring his sense of balance.

“Trowa did most of it, but I’m willing to accept credit if since it seems to have earned me a place in your good graces.

“You already had that.” Lowering the camera Relena chuckled then moved to stand in front of him. “It was your idea and you got up to help so you deserve credit.” Stepping into his personal space she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him lightly. “I love you for wanting to do it.” She kissed him again and Wufei’s hands came up to wrap around her waist. Feeling her pressed against him brought heat and disorientation of a much more pleasurable kind and he leaned into it savoring the happiness that came from being with her. 

Pulling away reluctantly Wufei smiled then kissed the tip of her nose. “I love you, that’s why I wanted to do it.” Sighing softly he loosened his hold. “How much more do you have to do?” 

“Just your special shots and then I’m done.” She shivered giving the shrine the once over. before turning back to Wufei. “I’d like to get out of here. This place gives me the creeps.” 

“You too?” Wufei moved closer keeping in physical contact as she stepped to the lining up a shot. “I thought it was just me.” 

“No, it's not. It feels like I'm taking pictures of a serial killer instead of a shrine. There is nothing holy about this place at all.” 

Wufei nodded, pleased that he was not the only one who was reacting badly. “I don't think Quatre should come here.” 

“No! Not ever.” Relena lowered her camera and snapped the cover on the lens. “I'm done. Lets get out here and find some place warm that serves hot chocolate.” 

“That is the second best offer I've had today.” Wufei unlocked the passenger side door then turned to make his way around the van. From the corner of his eye he caught a hint of movement, but when he turned to look the shrine was empty except for the shadows thrown by the burning candles. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“What happens next?” Duo sat on the edge of Heero’s bed watching as his boyfriend connected a camera to his laptop to upload the interview footage taken earlier that day. 

“If Wufei deems the shrine worth taking measurements of then that is the next step. If he doesn’t then I think we are at an impasse.” 

“Either way you’re probably done with this thing today.” Duo tried not to let the disappointment show through in his voice. 

“This is my assessment, yes.” 

“Oh. Does that mean that you'll be heading home soon?” 

Heero clicked the upload box then turned to Duo a frown creasing his forehead. “Do you want me to leave?” 

“No! Shit, Heero, of course not. I love having you here. I just wanted to know I knew what to expect. It took a lot longer when you guys did your thing here so I was figuring you'd be here long enough for us to spend some time together. Maybe go see a movie or look at lights.”

“Wufei and Relena have a return flight for late on the twentieth, but I had Iria book mine for the same flight for same one Quatre is on. I thought that would be more efficient as it will save you from making an additional trip to the airport. I hope that wasn't presumptuous.” 

“Not at all.” Duo grinned and leaned into Heero entwining their fingers. “I thought you would want to be home for Christmas since it is such a big thing with your family. Won't your mom be mad if you aren't there?” 

“I've already spoken to her and explained the situation. She is willing to give me an exception this year with the caveat that next year I attend and bring you along as well. Apparently she was quite impressed when she met you at Thanksgiving.” 

“I'm glad.” Duo's usual bravado slipped a little to show the eager young man underneath. “I liked her a lot too. All of your family was great. You're a lucky guy, Heero.” 

Heero leaned in for a kiss pausing just a hair's breath away. “Yes, I am.” With a pleased smile tugging at the corners of his lips he brought their lips together in confirmation of his statement.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“How is your visit going?” Quatre stepped out of his dress shoes lining them up neatly next to his suitcase. 

“That’s the first thing Cathy asked me. You guys are getting along way too well. I'm not sure if that makes me happy or nervous.” 

Chuckling, Quatre pulled off his tie and looped it over a hanger. “I was surprised how different the two of you, but I like her a lot. She seems like someone I would enjoy spending time with.”

Trowa smiled, his eyes never leaving Quatre as he removed first his dress shirt and then his slacks. “She got all the social skills which is good because one of us needed to.” 

Quatre laughed, shaking his head as he hung his barely worn clothes in the closet. “You got the lion’s share of the beauty and the brains seem to be evenly split so I guess it all works out in the end.” He yelped in surprise when a pair of arms wrapped around his waist and pulled him back against Trowa's solid chest. 

“I missed you.” Trowa’s lips ghosted a line down Quatre’s neck pausing to nip then tongue the hollow where it joined his shoulder. 

“You had Cathy to keep you company.” Quatre’s breath hitched then sped up giving his words a huskier quality. He reached back to run his hands up and down Trowa's legs using the angle to draw Trowa tight against him. 

“It’s not the same.” One of Trowa’s hands slid down Quatre’s stomach to cup the rapidly growing bulge in the front of his boxer briefs. “She's my sister and you're my boyfriend. If I had my way both of you would be here all the time.” 

“As long as she has her own room.” Quatre tried to twist in Trowa’s arms but found himself pinned between the hand on his cock and the one that had snaked it’s way up under his undershirt to tweak a nipple. He groaned as coherent thought left his brain accompanied by the lips that had returned to exploring his neck. 

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Seventy three candles.” Wufei made a note on the pad in his hand as he called back over his shoulder to Heero. He was not pleased about having to return to El Tiradito, but he deny that it was worth giving a complete once over using the other tools at their disposal. 

“That should not be enough to account for the difference in temperature even factoring in the lack of air flow.” Heero finished his slow sweep of the area and adjusted the settings on the camera before starting the second one. 

“Relena got some good close ups of the candles so we should be able to find out who makes them and what ingredients they use. It could impact the amount of heat being given off.” 

“That is a valid path of elimination.” Finished with his rotation Heero looked up from the camera with a slight grin. “We’ll make a scientist out of you yet.” 

Wufei snorted as he jotted down distances and their accompanying temperatures. “No thank you. I’m quite happy with the career path I plan to pursue.” 

“Studying ancient cultures and deciphering dead languages?” 

“With my lovely and talented photographer girlfriend at my side. A twosome of intrepid adventures.” Wufei put the thermometer back, careful to return it to its designated place in Heero’s toolbox before removing the barometer. He scribbled down the digital reading then began a backward path matching his barometric readings to those of the thermometer. 

“Fortunately Relena will have the skills to actually be able to secure a job.” Heero removed the camera from the tripod and slid his hand into the side strap before moving towards the altar to get close up shots of the candles and the shelves they sat on. 

“If things get bad we’ll just bring our six children and come live with you and Duo.” Wufei ignored the derisive snort that accompanied his words. “The fortunate thing about running a bed and breakfast is that there is always room for destitute relatives to move in with you.” 

“You’re assuming that Duo and I will still be together.” 

Wufei paused looking up to study his friend. “I was. Should I make other back up plans?” His tone remained light as it had been, but it carried an undertone of concern.

“No.” Heero smiled. “I'll be sure to inform Duo of the possibilities. No doubt he would open his home to you without hesitation. He's very generous to those people he cares for.” 

“He's a good man.” Wufei replaced the barometer and removed the EMF meter. “The kind of person that I could see you spending a lifetime with.” 

Keeping the camera steady Heero looked away from the eyepiece to give Wufei his full attention. “That is my plan.” 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
“Excuse me.” Cathy tapped lightly on the open door to Relena's room before stepping. “Do you have a minute?” 

“I just need to crop and resize this picture then I can take a break. Make yourself comfortable.” 

“Thanks.” Cathy dropped gracefully onto the bed and watched unabashed as Relena expertly manipulated the image on the screen of her laptop. “You make that look so easy.” 

“Years of practice. When I first started I was horrible. I've learned a lot since then.” She sat back and examined the photo closely then clicked on save with a satisfied nod. “Trowa said you work for a circus? I bet that is a lot more difficult than a little photo clean up. 

“I grew up doing gymnastics and acrobatics so it doesn't seem that way to me. Sitting still and doing what you do would be more difficult.” Cathy shifted, getting comfortable. “I know you're busy so I won't take up too much of your time.” 

“No problem.” Relena spun in the chair to face her visitor. “Was there something specific you wanted to talk about?” 

“Not really.” Cathy blushed and tugged on one of her curls straightening it out then letting it go so it bounced back into place. “I've always looked out for Trowa. He's my baby brother and even though we were lucky enough to be adopted by great people in a way it's still the two of us against the world.” 

Relena nodded. “From what little I know I can understand how you would feel that way.” 

“It's been strange, good, but strange to have him suddenly have a bunch of new people in his life that I don't know. Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled he is making friends and opening himself up, but it also makes me want to make sure he's safe.” Cathy laughed softly though her eyes were wary. “That's probably silly and overprotective considering Trowa isn't a kid anymore and he can certainly take care of himself.” 

“I think it's part of human nature to want to look out for the people you care about.” Relena got out of her chair and moved to sit next to Cathy on the bed. “Heero made Wufei fill out an application to date me. He said it was an information sheet, but we both know it was more than that.” Relena smiled, amused affection coloring her features. “I had a long talk with Trowa when Heero and Duo started dating because despite the fact that Heero can be a pain I love my cousin and I wanted to know about the man that he was spending time with.” 

“That makes me feel better.” Cathy's grin held less hesitation. “What do you think about the idea of continuing this conversation over a couple of chocolate muffins and coffee?” 

“Make it tea and I wouldn't say no.” 

“Tea it is.” Cathy bounced to her feet followed by an amused looking Relena. “I'm looking forward to getting to know you.” 

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“There are some anomalies in the readings from El Tiradito though there are several avenues of research that need to be pursued before we can be sure whether or not they can be explained by means other than paranormal activity.” Quatre sighed pushing his bangs back out of his face. “Without being able to run a formal investigation of the hotel I think we have as much as we are going to get. The interview with Mrs. Ortiz was helpful as background, but it doesn't really give us any new leads to check out.” 

“Anecdotal evidence would suggest that there is some kind of malevolent spirit that lives in the area of the hotel. If or how it is connected to the shrine I really would not want to speculate. Nor would I have any idea of how to go about proving or disproving that theory.” Wufei smiled apologetically. “I can say that the shrine did not feel like any other holy place I have ever been.” 

“It was creepy. I felt like someone was watching us the whole time we were there.” Relena shuddered unconsciously moving closer to Wufei. “I’m still going through the pictures I took, but the one thing I noticed was that you can see the trees and bushes moving in the wind and none of the candles have been blown out or are even flickering. It would probably be easier to see in the video then with stills so that might be something to look for when you process it, Heero.” 

Heero nodded and made a note. “I’ll do that.” 

“There is one other thing though it's possible that it was something I did.” She frowned then hesitantly handed her laptop over to Quatre. 

“If you look at the panorama I was putting together here the walls seem to not quite meet in the corner even though they do on the other side.” She leaned across the machine to maximize another picture of the same area captured in a single shot. “When I blew them up to see the area more clearly I got this.” She pressed another key bring up an enlarged version of the three pictures. In the corner was a the hazy black outline of a human figure on the wall. “I thought it was a shadow at first, but then I realized that mine was off to the side. Given the position of the sun to cast a shadow there someone would have to stand right in front of the wall and they would be completely visible in the picture.

“I don't think it's a shadow.” Quatre’s voice was whisper soft, but strong though his face showed his trepidation. 

“No, it doesn’t.” Heero then Wufei nodded in agreement.

“Let me know if you find anything else in the other pictures or on the video.” Quatre leaned into the arm that Trowa had draped over his shoulders. His face was pale, but the color was slowly returning. “I think at this point we should focus on analyzing what data we have so that it can be presented to the foundation as the basis to formally request a full investigation.” He looked around the table and found no disagreement on any of his friends’ faces.

“That leaves us a few days before we leave. Is there anything else you want us to do?” Though the words came from Wufei Heero appeared equally interested in the answer. 

“Actually there is.” Once again Quatre looked around the table turning his smile on each person. “I appreciate your concern and understanding on what has been a strange situation even for us. You've worked hard and you deserve some time to relax and see the sights before you head home.”

 

 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Tucson, Arizona, Saturday, December 18th, 2006.

 

The wagon that awaited them at the entrance to Winter Haven was drawn by horses and filled with bales of fragrant hay. Close to the entrance sat a group of college student. In the center were three couples and they were surrounded by an additional five or six individuals. Two sets of crutches were stowed off to the far side and the cast adorning the leg of one of the young women glowed a sickly neon green in contrast to the rest of her festive wear. They chattered loudly amongst themselves, laughing and teasing each other in a way that added to the overall sense of high spirited anticipation.

Cheery hellos were exchanged as Trowa led the way up onto the wagon and headed towards the front to make room for other passengers that would be boarding after. He settled himself with his back to the driver, one arm around Quatre and the other around Cathy. Duo sat on her other side claiming that Trowa was monopolizing too much of his favorite sister’s time making her giggle and earning him a mock glare from both Trowa and Heero, who was sitting as close to his boyfriend as possible without actually being on his lap. On Quatre’s other side sat Relena snuggled up to Wufei and took in the sights without the usual framing of a camera.

As promised the ride began promptly at seven. The slap of reins and the jingle of sleigh bells foreshadowed the jerk that jostled the passengers enough to make they sway and bring forth laughter. The steady clip clop of horse shoes on asphalt set the rhythm like an equine metronome and the passengers settled into it easily. It was faster than walking, but still slow enough to allow time to admire the houses on both sides of the street.

“This is beautiful. I haven't gone out to look at Christmas lights since I was a little girl.” Relena sighed leaning into Wufei while pointing at a residence passing on their left. “I love the way the white lights look like icicles.” 

“You see icicles all the time at home.” Wufei chuckled and kissed her softly.” 

“True, but it's cold there. Here I can see the beauty of the effect without freezing the in process. It's the best of both worlds.” 

“Look at that.” Cathy laughed pointing out an inflatable snowman, snow globe and train set alongside two mechanical reindeer in the yard of one of the houses as they passed. 

“The inflatable things are everywhere now.” Duo shuddered “Most of them are so fucking tacky too.” 

“Not as tacky as when you made Mr. Edwin's reindeer look like they were mating in his front yard.” Trowa smirked at Duo's unrepentant grin.

“I like those.” Quatre pointed to the strands of blue and white lights that outlined the arms of an ocotillo cactus. They lit the stark branches and softened the harsh angles. “We don't have anything like that back home.” 

“They are nice.” Trowa agreed earning him a smile that was brighter than the decorations and a kiss on the cheek much to the amusement of the rest of the group.

“I got to hand it to you, Quatre. I’ve tried to get Tro out here to see the lights every year and it is always no go. He says its too cold and goes back into his bear cave to hibernate.” 

“It’s quite possible you’ve met your match for thin blood.” Wufei couldn’t resist joining in the teasing even though it earned him a good natured punch on the shoulder from Relena.

Cathy grinned then leaned a bit to rest her head on Duo’s shoulder. “It's the power of love. It can move mountains, part seas, and make Trowa go out in the cold to look at Christmas lights.” 

“Shut up.” Trowa’s growl was more bark then bite though not all the red on his cheeks was from the cold. He cuddled a little closer to Quatre despite the risk of bringing on more teasing. Capturing his lips in a short but intense kiss Trowa shifted a little bringing his mouth close to Quatre’s ear. “She’s right,” he whispered ignoring the pounding of his heart and the sense of panic that was trying to take hold. “I do love you.” 

Quatre smiled, soft and genuine, as he shifted to look Trowa in the eye. “I know.” He replied just as quietly. “I love you too.”


End file.
